


When All Q Breaks Loose

by gurgi27



Series: BH6 Aftermath [5]
Category: Big Hero 6 (2014), Doctor Who (2005), Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Baby Hiro Hamada, Chaos, F/M, Fire, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Memories, Other, Pain, Q Continuum, Repressed Memories, Saving the World, Tadashi's there in spirit, Time - Freeform, Time Travel Fix-It, Wibbly Wobbly Timey Whimey, broken time, revertion, two doctors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-25
Updated: 2017-06-20
Packaged: 2018-09-19 22:43:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 49
Words: 167,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9463712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gurgi27/pseuds/gurgi27
Summary: Hiro has finally recovered from breaking his ribs while trying to stop a mad bomber. Now that he's back in action, things don't stay quiet for long. In fact, something drastic has happened, bringing a rather unusual group from an alternate universe to theirs. But there's one problem. Hiro's universe doesn't like its new visitors and strange things begin to happen all over the city.Can Hiro and his team figure out what's going on before their universe tears itself apart? Or will things happen that can't be reversed? Read to find out!





	1. Allow Me To Help

The planet shook, sending rocks and other debris to the solid ground. Jagged chunks of stone sheered away from the ceiling as the seismic activity continued.

"When I asked for something different, this isn't what I had in mind," Captain Jean-Luc Picard commented as he narrowly avoided being crushed by a rolling boulder. Not an overly athletic man, he was in remarkably good shape for his age. Despite that, he was able to dodge the majority of the larger debris falling all around.

Behind him, Lieutenant Commander Data and Lieutenant Worf helped Deanna Troi navigate the ever changing tunnel. They'd come to investigate some ruins the Captain had been interested in. It was supposed to be a nice time away, a bit of relaxation ordered by Dr. Crusher. But it had turned into something much worse when the planet began heaving like it was having a seizure.

Data held a tricorder in one hand, scanning the area as he walked, seemingly unbothered by the shaking ground. "The mineral deposits in the cave walls are still too dense for the transporter to lock onto our signals," he announced. "And I am no longer certain we are headed towards the surface. In fact, I believe we are headed in the opposite direction."

Picard frowned as he took in that information. This was supposed to be a simple vacation, one he'd felt more than confident about. And, against his first officer's advice, he'd decided to go down. He'd rather felt a need for a change in scenery, and the good doctor had agreed. Just not like this. Part of him now wished he'd chosen a different planet for his shore leave time.

The ground gave another shudder, sending Troi to her knees. She scrambled to get back up. Data pushed her to one side as a boulder rolled where her legs were only moments before. Unfortunately, the force of his push sent her into the wall, her left side ramming against the stone with incredible force. Her head followed from the whiplash, cracking against the wall.

"Counselor!" Picard immediately discarded any thought of personal safety and went to help his injured crewmate. He knew the android hadn't meant to use such an intense force to move her out of harm's way so he didn't reprimand him. If he hadn't taken the initiative, Deanna would have been crushed instead of battered.

A smattering of small boulders had congregated around the woman and both Data and Worf went to work removing them. Luckily, none of the stones had touched the ship's counselor, though her skin pallor had lightened considerably as she clutched at her left arm. She gasped as the captain pulled her free from the debris. It was hard to tell what damage had been done, but she felt sure something had broken in her arm.

Data pulled out his tricorder once more, making a few adjustments while Picard and Worf helped their injured comrade to a less congested part of the tunnel. Modifications complete, he scanned the injured woman. "While inconclusive, scans indicate you may be suffering from a mild concussion," he announced. "Also, it would appear that you have broken your humerus."

Picard frowned. "A broken arm," he sighed. But at least it wasn't as bad as it could be. He cradled the woman's arm as he assisted her over to a fallen chunk of rock. At least this area seemed less inclined to drop on them than the section they'd just vacated.

"Isn't that what I just said?" Data asked, somewhat confused as he put his device away.

"We should keep moving," Worf commented as more debris showered down on the party. "If we can find a more stable location, we can tend to her wounds then. Our highest priority should be reaching safety."

When Picard glanced questioningly at the ship's counselor, she nodded. "I'll be fine once we're clear of this."

Picard nodded, and then helped her to her feet, careful not to jostle her arm. "Lean against me if you feel the need," he instructed. "We'll get you out of here." He felt more concerned with the idea of her having a concussion than he was for the broken arm. Arms could be mended, but concussions sent their own patterns of chaos into things.

They traveled for another ten minutes before the shaking stopped. Finding an open cavern of sorts, Picard decided it was time to rest and sort things out.

With a gasp of pain, Deanna settled on a boulder of about the right size for sitting on. "I think you might be right about the break," she said through clenched teeth. She didn't feel it necessary to comment about the spots in her vision.

Worf made to secure the area, though it was unlikely anyone else was in the caverns. As chief security officer, he had an obligation. Worse things had happened to those who didn't keep up their defenses.

"If you will permit me, I believe I can reset the bone," Data offered as he examined Deanna's injury. "However, it will hurt should I do so."

Deanna let out something that might have been a laugh as she braced herself. "I'm not worried about the pain." Her vision, however, was another matter.

At a nod from the captain, Data prepared to push the bone back into place. Meanwhile, Picard moved to hold Deanna so she wouldn't inflict any further injuries while they treated the most immediate one. "Do it," he ordered as he took Deanna's hand in his.

The android placed his hands around the break. Then, making sure the injury wasn't any worse than perceived; he pushed the bone pieces back into place. There was an audible snap. Deanna bit back a scream as the pain flared up. Her grip on Picard's hand tightened until it subsided to a more manageable level.

"I would highly recommend finding a way to immobilize the break until we can obtain further medical help," Data said as he stood from his position, looking around for something to use as either a splint or a sling.

The party had not anticipated heaving any trouble and therefore had not brought any supplies that would be of current use. That and most of the supplied they had brought were buried in the rubble who knew how many kilometers down the now filled tunnels behind them.

Picard shrugged out of his jacket. "In place of anything else, you can tear this up and use it," he offered, handing the Federation issue clothing to the android.

Data was about to rip the fabric when the light in the cave seemed to brighten. Worf immediately returned to the main group, phaser at the ready. "Captain, I am detecting an increase in energy levels," he announced, tricorder in his other hand.

At that moment, another flash of light filled the air, only to be replaced by another man. He wore a Federation uniform similar to the captain's, except with the tell-tale braids and insignia of an admiral. He had a rather odd look on his face, not quit mischievous, but definitely displeased.

"Q!" Picard went to his feet in outrage; sure the strange alien had had something to do with their current predicament. "What are you doing here?"

The man frowned. "I might ask you the same thing, mon capitaine. This isn't exactly the best place to take a vacation. You shouldn't be here."

"Shouldn't be here!? Picard spluttered. "You shouldn't be here! We're on a simple exploration mission if you don't mind. Your interference is decidedly not welcome"

Q raised an eyebrow at that as he walked closer to the captain. "Oh, you are, are you? And I'm quite sure my 'interference' will be quite welcome, whatever you might think of it. Looks more like you could use some rescuing." He glanced pointedly at Deanna Troi. "You are rather hemmed in, what with the planet's unstable core and all that."

The ship's counselor grimaced as she tried to shift positions. "We're fine, thank you," she retorted, trying to force her eyes to see straight. "The Enterprise will beam us up at any minute."

Q's expression turned to full out disapproval. "Somehow I doubt that. Do you even have any idea where you are right now? You're right in the middle of a space anomaly. The Enterprise can no more beam you out than a snarglefish can fly. Admit it, you're stuck."

Picard scowled at that. "What anomaly? We detected nothing out of place before beaming down."

The alien tisked as he sat on a nearby boulder. "But, my dear captain, of course your scanners wouldn't pick it up! Don't you see? This place doesn't really exist!"

Data looked up at that. "My scans indicate otherwise," he countered. "If their readings are correct, we are still on Davish Seven, where we should be."

Q moved to stand near the android. "Are you sure about that? I'd check again if I were you."

The android looked back at the tricorder he had pulled out, scanning the area. His expression changed, his eyebrows furrowing with puzzlement. "What Q has said is correct, Captain," he announced. "We no longer appear to be in the same space as before. I am not sure how this is possible. If we are indeed unable to contact the ship, we should also be unable to determine our current position."

Q dusted himself off as he stood from his perch. "Semantics. But do you see your precarious position now? This place doesn't really exist in this galaxy! That means your ship won't be able to reach you, regardless of sensor strength or natural materials. Which leaves you with one of two choices, Captain. Stay where you are, hoping they will eventually be able to find you, knowing that won't happen. Or allow me to help you."

"And what kind of help do you offer?" Picard asked, more than a little wary. Their previous encounters with Q had not all ended well. In fact, most of them hadn't, even when the man had been more... accommodating.

The alien looked a bit hurt at that, knowing what the captain was referring to. "That hurts, Mon Capitaine" he said, pressing his hands against his chest. "But if you allow it, I can guarantee you a way out of this situation. I can take you somewhere safe. Otherwise, you'll likely get crushed when this planet decides to self-combust in oh...." He pretended to look at the sun as if to determine time, "a matter of hours."

"I say no," Worf interjected. "Previous experiences dictate that we cannot trust him."

The captain looked from one officer to the other, weighing out the options. If they stayed, there was no guarantee, as Q said, that the ship would be able to reach them, even if they were still in the same space. The mineral deposits were too dense. And it would take forever for the rest of his crew to find them. He couldn't ignore the warning they'd just gotten about impending death. But if he allowed Q to "rescue" them, he had no way of knowing where they would end up. However, if they stayed where they were, Troi wouldn't get the necessary medical treatment she needed, and they'd likely die. If Q was telling the truth.

Picard let out a sigh. There really wasn't much of a choice and he knew it. Sure Q was a pain, but he didn't usually like about life or death situations. "We accept your offer."

Q clapped his hands together. "Excellent. You won't regret it." With that, another brilliant flash of light filled the cave, blinding everyone.


	2. Someone Has to Help

The sun shone brightly from its declining position in the sky. It would set in an hour or two, sliding down behind the horizon line. And if Hiro was any judge of weather, the sky would remain only partly cloudy, with a spectacular sunset. It was a nice reward for a job well done, he supposed.

It felt like months since Hiro'd last gone on any mission. Okay, it really had been about a few months, more like one and a half, but still close enough to count. It wasn't exactly his fault he'd gotten shot and cracked a few ribs. Well, okay, maybe it was. But that wasn't the point. That and it was a tale for a different time.

Sitting on Baymax's back, he took in the view that was the city of San Fransokyo. It was his city, and he loved it with just about every fiber of his being. On either side of him sat GoGo and Honey Lemon as they held on to the robot's wings. And below, firmly clasped in Baymax's large, robotic hands, hung Fred and Wasabi. Well, Wasabi was more likely clinging to the large red gauntlet than hanging from it. After all, he was a serious acrophobic. Chances were good he also had his eyes tightly closed.

"Isn't this awesome? Hiro asked as Baymax flew through a low lying cloud. He had to pause to wipe his visor free of condensation, but he didn't mind. "That makes our what? Our seventeenth rescue since we started?"

"Twenty seven," Wasabi called, using a rather strained voice. "Not counting the major ones."

Leave it to Wasabi to keep track, Hiro thought with a smile. "That's still pretty awesome." The best part was that no one had gotten hurt. Sure the Syto building had collapsed, but they'd gotten everyone out in time. The building was old anyway.

Something flashed in the sky, maybe some space junk left over from that one asteroid a few months back. Or maybe it was something else. It didn't streak like a typical meteor, though it did remind Hiro of the rip in space where he'd taken Baymax and an energy entity into the Rift. It was gone just as quickly, making Hiro wonder if he'd merely seen things.

"Did you guys see that?" he asked anyway, pointing out the direction of the anomaly. He squinted, as if that would bring back the odd sight.

"See what?" GoGo asked as she looked in the direction Hiro pointed. She shook her head when she couldn't detect anything out of the ordinary.

Wasabi let out an odd yelp. "I didn't see anything! I wasn't looking, but I'm sure if was, I still wouldn't have seen anything!"

Hiro felt a bit deflated but knew he'd seen something. "Baymax, what about you?"

The robot tiled his head in contemplation. "I did detect a surge of energy coming from the direction you indicated."

The boy couldn't help but let out a cry of victory, his hands flying up into the air with a shout. His knees kept him safely anchored to Baymax's back with their electromagnets. "I knew it!"

Honey Lemon pursed her lips. "Do you think we should go check it out? It could just be nothing, but it might be someone who needs our help."

At that exact moment, a cloud of dust flew up near the tree line outside of city limits. It reminded Honey of watching a meteor hit the ground as dirt flew outwards before settling back to the ground.

"That looked awesome!" Fred called from his position in Baymax's hand. "We should totally check it out. I mean, what if it's another alien entity that needs Hiro to take it home or something?"

Baymax shifted to aim towards the implosion. "I am detecting signs of life coming from that location." He would have reached out a hand to point but his arms were full with Wasabi and Fred. "There appears to be two males and one female. The female is injured. I also detect some kind of robotic machine."

Wasabi tensed up even more at that announcement. "Oh heck no! We are not ruining a perfectly good evening by running into a potential hostile situation! Not happening! Besides, you're only now just getting back into action! And that last alien entity nearly killed you!"

Hiro frowned at that. Yes Wasabi was the least confrontational of the group, but he usually was cool with helping those in need. "They need our help," the teen protested. "If we don't, who will? Someone has to help."

"I hate to say it but Hiro's right," GoGo inserted. "That's why we're doing this, isn't it?"

Fred managed a superhero pose, his kaiju mask hanging behind his head. "I say we go for it!"

Big Hero number One sighed. "Tell you what. We'll land a safe distance away and go from there. Agreed? We don't want to go in totally blind. If Baymax or anyone else senses anything really off, we'll just walk away."

The OCD student considered the offer. After several long seconds, he finally nodded. "Fine. But I'm staying on high alert. Remember what happened last time we came across a robot-like machine?"

Thoughts of the exoskeletons filled Hiro's mind. Those had been hard enough to beat without the Doctor's help. He just hoped Wasabi wasn't right about this situation. "Agreed. Baymax, take us in." The robot paused only for a moment before changing course in an almost shallow dive towards the location in question.

........................................

One moment the four crewmembers from the Enterprise were sitting in a rock cavern. The next, they were out in the open near the edge of a tree line in a wide, yet shallow crater. Over head, the sky cast soft light as the visible sun tilted towards the horizon. Of Q there was no sign.

"Data, where are we?" Picard asked as he looked around. It was a bit difficult to see over the lip of the divot they stood in but what he could see over it was not exactly encouraging.

The android scanned the area with his tricorder. "We appear to be on a Class M planet, Captain, similar in structure to that of Earth," he reported. "I detect the presence of one sun and one moon. Also, we seem to be fairly close to a city of some sort. I believe we are two point seven kilometers from its outskirts."

At that moment, Deanna slumped to the ground with a moan. Picard was instantly by her side, noting the half-human woman was unconscious. "Deanna? Can you hear me?" He gently cradled her head in his hands; afraid to chaff her wrists for fear the movement might compound her broken arm.

"Counselor Troi appears to have succumbed to the effects of her concussion," Data observed. "Without a medical tricorder, I am unable to determine to what extent any damage may have been produced by this injury."

Worf folded his arms with a scowl. "I recommend we treat this environment as hostile until further information can be gathered," he said. "We should set up a perimeter in a defensible location."

"Agreed," Picard said as he looked around. Though it did look rather like Earth, albeit not the habitable parts, it was entirely possible this planet was just as alien as any other they'd encountered on their many travels. "Make it so."

The Klingon warrior went to obey, scouting out the area immediately around them. It took a bit of an effort to climb from the crater, but at least the ground had compacted, meaning he slipped bit a little as he climbed out.

Data, meanwhile, appeared to be scanning the sky, tricorder back on his hand. "Captain, I am detecting unknown life forms approaching this area. They appear to be flying in a cluster from that direction." He pointed towards a more southerly direction, away from the setting sun.

Picard looked up at that comment. "Back into the trees," he ordered. He could at least see the branches from where he stood. "We don't know what may be out there and I'd rather not stay out in the open long enough to determine if they are hostile or not."

"Yes sir," the android complied, moving to lift the unconscious Deanna Troi into his arms. "This way, sir. I believe I detected a small thicket where we can defend ourselves should the need arise." That said, he led the way up and over the lip of disturbed earth, following in the Klingon's footsteps.

..................................

Baymax set the team down a good kilometer away from their destination, leaving them another kilometer away from the city limits. Having taken Hiro's order to maintain a safe distance, he felt sure he'd fulfilled the boy's request.

The area they'd landed in held mostly wild vegetation, in the form of brambles and bushes. The occasional tree popped up through the tall grass. The ground was loose after weeks without precipitation. Some of the leaves on the trees had already begun to change their green for dull yellows, oranges, and reds.

Wasabi was more than ready to be back on solid ground. Not only did he prefer to keep it that way, it improved his mood. If he had his way however, he'd have Fred's butler, Heathcliff, just come and get him.

Hiro peered ahead as if he could see through the plants separating them from their goal. Some of the brambles and bushes were easily as tall as Honey Lemon, making him feel smaller than he really was. "What do you think, big guy?" he asked his armor-clad robot.

Baymax turned to look in the appropriate direction. "The small group appears to have moved into the trees," he reported. "I cannot accurately diagnose their physical conditions from this distance. However, the female appears to have sustained a concussion, along with a break to her upper left arm. The males do not appear to be injured, though I am certain one of them is not human."

"What?!" Wasabi didn't like the sound of that. The last time they'd encountered an alien was with the Doctor and that alien entity. I couldn't forget how Hiro had almost gotten killed because of that incident. "Uh no. No aliens today. No thank you." He folded his arms as if to end any pending arguments.

GoGo popped her gum from behind her raised visor. "Alien, huh? This could get interesting." She shifted her weight from one hip to the other, her arms also folded. Though her expression seemed impartial, there was a hint of challenge there if one knew to look for it.

Honey Lemon looked worried as she glanced from Wasabi to GoGo. "We at least have the obligation to try and help," she reminded, though part of her agreed with Wasabi.

Hiro shook his head. "Come on, guys. The least we can do is check it out. Baymax only said one of them isn't human. That means the others are."

"I'm all for seeing aliens," Fred piped up; his headpiece was still pulled back so his head was visible. His grin was rather infectious, creasing his face from ear to ear as he almost jumped up and down in excitement.

Wasabi groaned as he face-palmed with a shake of his head. "You would."

Their teen leader shook his head again with a bemused sigh. "Hey, we already agreed on this. If it's not worth the risk, we'll jet off faster than you can say marshmallow."

Reassured, the group headed forward, Wasabi cutting a path through the brambles with his plasma blades. Fred began to hum his typical "theme" song, until the larger male threatened to backhand him.

"Guys. Shh," Hiro admonished as they approached the area where the crater cut through the ground, just before the tree-line. He retracted his visor to get a better view. "Looks like this is the place where they landed," he observed.

The crater held a patch of empty ground near the epicenter. Only dirt and rock filled the section in question. And since it was so dry, it was easy to see three sets of footprints in the soil, each a different size, though one set was decidedly deeper, meaning either that person had carried someone or they were seriously overweight.

"Whoever they are, they have feet," Fred spoke up as he looked at the troubled ground. "And they wear shoes. That's got to be a good sign."

Wasabi rolled his eyes. "Brilliant deduction, genius," he quipped. "Can we go now?"

"No," Hiro admonished. "One of them is hurt, remember?" He turned to his healthcare companion. "Which way, Baymax?"

The robot tilted his head as he scanned the area. "This way," he said with a pointing finger, heading towards the trees. He didn't wait to see if the others were following before heading out.


	3. Trying to Make Contact

The refuge Data for his crew discovered was comprised of a copse of trees growing next to a semi-circle of tumbled rocks, reaching about eight to nine meters in height. There was a nice hollow in the middle where they could put their backs against a wall of sorts.

"Worf, you and Data will stand guard," Picard ordered as he settled Deanna against the trunk of one tree. "Set phasers to stun, but don't use them unless absolutely necessary. For all we know, the natives are friendly here."

"Captain," Worf replied with a curt nod. His warrior side tempted him to change the setting on his phaser, but he had his orders.

Both android and Klingon moved to hide just inside the protective branches of their sanctuary. They made the necessary adjustments to their side arms, Worf keeping his at the ready while Data reholstered his. He was more curious about the natural inhabitants than he felt any need to neutralize them.

Instead, Data held out his tricorder, scanning the area. "I am detecting six individuals heading towards this location," he reported. "They appear to be humanoid in form, though one is decidedly larger than the others. I do not believe the larger entity is of organic composition. Scans suggest an artificial body, though I am having trouble do to some kind of mineral content masking my readings."

Picard looked up from administering to his unconscious companion. "Another android?"

"Unknown," Data replied. "However, scans suggest the other five share the same or at least similar physical characteristics of humans in that they are bipedal with upper appendages. Beyond that, I cannot tell due to the mineral compounds in the area. It is possible at least one of them is more animal in nature than the others."

The captain seemed a bit surprised at that. It wasn't unlike Q to show some form of mercy, even if the alien had a twisted sense of humor. "Let us hope they are friendly whatever they might be."

"I do not like it, Captain," Worf commented from his perch on a branch. "Recommend we neutralize these natives before they decide to harm us."

But Picard shook his head. "Data, do you detect anything that would suggest this planet has achieved warp technology?"

"I have not," the android responded.

"Then we can hardly go and attack a curious party of natives," Picard admonished. "Remember the Prime Directive. These people are likely primitive, having never seen an alien before in their lifetime."

Worf frowned at that but kept his phaser at the ready. "Yes sir."

...............................................

Hiro held up one hand, silently telling his team to hold up. Baymax had moved ahead a few paces before stopping, but when he did, he looked back to see what his primary patient was doing. "Let's not rush into things," the boy said quietly. "They're probably just as scared of us as we are of them."

"Oh, so now you're scared," Wasabi griped, but both of the girls hushed him.

Fred flipped his mask back into place the moment they entered the forested area. It was the best defense he had against a branch whacking him upside the head. That and he really just liked wearing it. "If I were in their shoes, I'd be scared too. After all, we do look pretty awesome and potentially scary."

GoGo shook her head at the mascot, rolling her eyes. "You think they're hiding in that area over there?" She pointed to a dense section of trees that pressed up against a rock incline.

Baymax tilted his head slightly in that direction. "GoGo is correct. The small group has taken refuge in that direction. It would appear that two members of their party have taken up positions in the trees. I believe one of them is holding a weapon of some kind, though I cannot be certain of this."

Wasabi's eyes went wide at that admission. "Weapons? Oh heck no. I am not traipsing over there when some hostile alien might shoot us down just because we don't look like them. Not happening." He planted his fee to emphasize his point.

Hiro let out a frustrated breath. "How do you think we look to them?" he reminded, looking pointedly at their super suits. Their gear, in all its bright glory, as Fred had pointed out, wasn't exactly as non-threatening as something like jeans and a t-shirt. Especially not if the people they were facing had never seen anything like that before. "I'm going to try and talk to them," he decided as he started forward.

"This isn't going to end well," Wasabi warned with a shake of his head.

Baymax placed a restraining hand on Hiro's shoulder. "I recommend using caution," he said. "The two males appear to be distressed and may mistake any overtures you make as acts of aggression."

"Baymax is right," Honey Lemon spoke up. "I'm going with you. That way you'll at least have someone to watch your back."

Hiro looked up to the tall female with an expression of determination. Of the party, Honey Lemon held the most compassion and empathy. She was a good choice for this kind of thing. "Let's go," he said, striding forward once more. Baymax, despite a desire to stay by Hiro's side, didn't follow.

When they were within five odd meters of the copse of trees, Hiro stopped. His hands had suddenly begun to sweat, images of previous alien encounters filling the back of his mind. How would this turn out?

...................................................

Worf had to move, causing his sturdy perch to shake ever so slightly, the leaves rustling. "They have split into two parties," he announced, keeping an eye on the brightly colored group ahead of them. "Two are approaching this direction."

"Remain calm," Picard reminded as he looked up. He slowly got to his feet and moved a few paces closer to the edge of the thicket. "We don't want to provoke them."

Data continued to scan the individuals with his tricorder. "They appear to be wearing some strange form of armor. I do not believe I have ever seen anything like it before. It seems designed to stand out instead of blend in with their surroundings. I also detect that this armor is the source of the unknown mineral blocking my scans."

That brought the captain up short. "What kind of warrior race tries to stand out?" he mused. Apparently this planet was far from ordinary.

"They have stopped moving," Worf reported. "The two are now standing approximately five meters from our current position."

Picard could see the brightly colored armor through the branches. Well, one was brightly colored. The other seemed designed to blend into the shadows of night, being black and deep purple in color. The other was hard to miss with its pink and red top, though the black leggings hardly seemed like battle-appropriate wear. Nor were the high-heeled boots this obvious female was wearing. What he wasn't sure about was the bag she had slung over one shoulder. Their headgear was decidedly not the most practical for combat either, with protrusions at the top stretched like Vulcan ears.

And if he looked out further, he could make out a giant wearing red, a splash of yellow, and possibly something green that didn't fit in with the rest of the foliage. But the other creature, because he couldn't think of any other way of describing it, was something else entirely. Maybe a pet? It stood upright like a man, so maybe it was something more. After all, it was possible that whatever it was could be sentient as well.

"Your orders, Captain," Worf reminded.

Picard didn't see anything threatening from the stance of the two closest to them. One was decidedly shorter than the other, though it was a bit difficult to judge actual height from the distance between them. "Let's wait and see if they try to communicate."

...............................................

Honey turned to face Hiro, looking at him with compassion, mixed in with a bit of worry. "Are you sure about this?" She would understand if he changed his mind.

The boy looked up to her with somewhat frightened eyes. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't a bit scared. This was an unknown, and even though they'd dealt a lot with the unknown lately, this somehow felt completely different. He took a deep breath, knowing Baymax was behind them, keeping an eye on his, and everyone else's vitals. "I can do this," he said, more to himself than to her.

The pink-clad chemist took his hand in one of hers and gave him an encouraging squeeze. "We're all behind you," she reminded.

Hiro nodded, a look of determination filling his eyes. He didn't know if these guys spoke English or not, though he wasn't sure if it mattered. The important thing was to try and find a way to communicate without getting shot with whatever weapons their... what was the right word? intended rescuees? had on them.

Looking around, Hiro noticed a decent-sized rock. It was about the size of a baseball. "Do you have a pen or a marker?" he asked Honey Lemon. He wasn't too surprised when she pulled one out for him to use. He picked up the rock and scribbled something on it, hoping they could read English. Then he tossed it towards the trees.

..............................................

"Incoming," Data announced as the figure in black and purple lobbed a rock towards them. It didn't quite go high enough for him to catch so he had to scoop it up from the ground instead as he jumped down to the forest floor. Turning it over in his hands, he moved to take it to the captain.

Picard moved forward enough to intercept him. "What is it, Data?"

The android held out the rock. "I believe they are trying to communicate with us. It is entirely possible they are as yet unsure of our nature, just as we are of theirs." He placed the rock in the captain's hand.

At first glance, there didn't seem to be anything unusual about the stone his officer had given him. But when he turned it over, Picard saw some hastily scrawled letters. "It's in English," he announced with some surprise. He then moved the rock to try and cipher what their visitors were trying to tell them. "It says 'We come in peace'."

Well that was simple enough, standard vernacular for "don't shoot us". At the very least, it was a form of truce flag. And as Captain, Picard couldn't ignore it. After all, they were trying to make contact. Unfortunately, they didn't exactly have anything they could use to write back.

"Stand down," Picard ordered Worf, realizing the Klingon still had his phaser out. "I don't believe they intend to harm us. The question remains, however, how do we convey to them that we don't mean to harm them?"

Data contemplated this for a moment. "Captain, if I may suggest, I believe it would be prudent to send one of our party to meet with them, seeing as we do not have any other means of communicating with them except for face to face."

Picard nodded. "I'd come to the same conclusion. The only question is who. The obvious choice is, of course, myself."

"Unacceptable," Worf interrupted. "If you should be attacked—"

But the captain waved him aside. "I thought we'd already established they're only trying to communicate. However, if it makes you feel better, you may have your phaser at the ready should they attack. But keep the setting on stun. We don't want to antagonize them unnecessarily."

A quick glance at Data confirmed this strategy as the most logical. If they sent Worf, there was no way of knowing what would happen. It was very likely these natives had never seen an alien before, and they definitely didn't want to scare away any potential help. And though Data would also be a good choice, the captain was right in thinking it should be him who approached the strangers.

Seeing as his officers were in agreement, albeit a bit reluctantly on one part, Picard straightened his uniform, brushing off the dirt that had collected there. He'd retrieved his jacket when it had become unnecessary to use as a sling right off the bat. "Very well," he said to no one in particular. "Let us see what they have to say. Since they can write in English, I am hoping they also speak it."


	4. First Contact

Hiro peered ahead, squinting a bit. It was hard to see through the trees. The light was beginning to fade as the sun set as well, which didn't help. Soon it would be dark and that could potentially complicate things. But he straightened up when he realized one of the people inside the copse of trees was coming out. His hand tightened in Honey Lemon's, his breathing accelerating just a bit.

He then let out a sigh of relief as whoever it was who approached them took on the more familiar form of someone at least resembling a human. Maybe he was like the Doctor or Jack Harkness. The man was decidedly taller than Hiro, though, and much, much older. His head was already mostly bald. And his clothes were a bit odd, mostly black with red on top. It reminded the boy almost of some kind of uniform or jogging suit. Maybe pajamas. He wasn't sure which.

"I'm going ahead," Hiro announced, realizing it would be wise to meet the man halfway. He let Honey Lemon's hand go, after one more squeeze of encouragement from her. Slowly, so as not to cause any undo alarm, he made his way to within a few paces of the man. It helped that he still had his helmet in place, tinted visor down, giving him a little more sense of protection. After all, they didn't know what these strange people would do. He knew the others were still behind him, ready to jump into action should something go wrong.

Picard stopped halfway between their refuge and the two strangely dressed individuals. He was heartened when the shorter of the two moved to meet him. It was entirely possible this person was the leader of the group. At least that's what he read from their body language. But why was he so short? Was that a natural characteristic or was the man simply stunted? Because not only was he short, but he was also quite skinny on top of it all, gangly almost.

"Hello," Picard greeted. "I'm Jean-Luc Picard." He decided to forgo any mention of his rank or affiliation with Star Fleet. After all, Data had said this planet had not yet achieved warp technology. They probably didn't have a clue about the Federation, which meant this planet would still be considered primitive by those standards. He couldn't just willy nilly go against the Prime Directive.

Hiro gave a half fumbling wave as he tried to hide just how badly his body was shaking. "Hiro," he said in reply, purposely not giving his last name while using the more common pronunciation at the same time. It wouldn't do to blow his secret identity, even if these people weren't from around the area. The less who knew the better.

Well, that was encouraging, Picard thought as he eyed the midget in front of him, though the voice did sound rather young. The single word reply was also a bit disappointing. "I received your message," he continued, hoping to encourage further communication. Maybe this man was somehow unable to communicate more than that. Though that was decidedly a possibility, Picard hoped it wasn't true. He remembered the message on the rock. That, alone, was encouraging.

Hiro nodded, swallowing. His mouth suddenly felt rather dry. Okay, this was much more difficult than he'd thought it would be. Why was it so hard? It wasn't like he hadn't dealt with aliens before, even if this was their first contact with this particular race. And since Baymax hadn't given any kind of physical description, he had no way of knowing if this man was the alien or if it was another member of their party. "That's good," he replied, his voice sounding funny even in his own ears.

He's scared, Picard realized, wondering what he looked like to them. Despite Data's conjecture that they were essentially human, they might have characteristics that made them look somehow different, like Bajorans or Klingons. It had probably taken them a lot to come even this far. Unfortunately, they weren't exactly giving Picard much to work with either, which left things up to him to convey. "My companions and I seem to have gotten lost," he said, deciding to go for as near the truth as he dared. He had no idea where Q had landed them, much less in what galaxy or system. It would be just like the man to mess with them like that.

Okay, he could deal with his, Hiro decided. They weren't trying to do anything anyone would regret, and the tone the man named Jean-Luc Picard used was placating. He doubted there were ulterior motives. "We figured as much," he admitted. "We also noticed one of your party is injured. We have a medic who could look at that, if you like." He added the last part almost as an afterthought, suddenly unsure of how the offer would be seen.

Picard had a sudden suspicion. Even though this individual sounded quite mature, there was something about him that begged him to question the potential age. "Of course," he answered. "I was wondering something, though. Would you be so kind as to show me your face? It's a bit difficult to accept help from someone you can't see eye to eye with."

Hiro let out his held breath. Okay, that was a bit unexpected. People usually didn't ask him, or any of his team for that matter, to take off their headgear. But, since they were trying for peaceful negotiations, and these people were obviously not from around the area, he supposed he could make an exception. He reached for his helmet and twisted it off, holding it under one arm.

The captain almost took a step back. "But you're just a boy!" He couldn't help but include a slight tone of protest in his words. It was no secret on the ship that he had a hard time dealing with children. And right in front of him stood a child, a teenager more accurately. And he was the leader of this rather odd ensemble? It was unbelievable.

Well that was new, sort of, Hiro decided. He'd gotten used to the whole "but you're so young" when it came to his genius. After all, he'd graduated high school at thirteen, entered college at fourteen. And now that he was close to sixteen, well, he still looked young, even though he was a bit taller than he used to be. Still, he supposed it would disconcert a man of several times his age, someone old enough to probably be his grandfather, if he was being honest. But that didn't change matters. He was still Big Hero Number One and he had to act like it. "So?"

"And you're the leader of your little... group?" Picard couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed by this idea. Since when were children allowed to take charge? Unless this was a race that aged in reverse. It wasn't unheard of. "Just how old are you?"

Hiro felt a wave of irritation wash over him. "Almost sixteen," he answered. "Did you want our help or not?"

Realizing he'd somehow managed to offend the boy, Picard decided to back off a little. "Yes, of course," he said by way of apology. "Lacking sufficient medical supplies, any help would be welcome." He just wondered how they'd react to Worf. "By all means, please bring in your medic."

Hiro turned back towards the rest of his team and waved them forward. "Come on, guys," he urged when it looked like Wasabi was hesitating. "It should be safe."

"Not until they put those things away!" Wasabi called back over his radio, pointing towards the partially visible Klingon.

Hiro glanced a bit hesitantly at the captain. "Uh, my guys say they won't come any closer until your men put down their weapons."

Seeing the direction the green-clad native pointed, Picard couldn't help but follow the direction, realizing Worf was partially in view, his phaser at the ready. "Put that thing away," he admonished his security chief. "They're only here to help." He gave a bit of a wave, silently telling his officer to move out of view.

A bit reluctantly, the Klingon complied, placing the phaser in the holster at his hip. He backed further into the trees when it became obvious they were coming in.

With the weapon put away, Wasabi was more willing to move forward with the rest of the team, Baymax bringing up the rear. Honey Lemon joined them as they moved towards their leader, GoGo smacking her gum, her skates slung over one shoulder. They were useless on the uneven ground.

"I do apologize for our current state," Picard said to the strange group. "We weren't exactly expecting company." He glanced back at the rather odd looking sixth member of the party. Was that a three-eyed lizard? He blinked a few times as he turned back towards the trees. Data hadn't mentioned anything about that. Apparently they both had many secrets, some of which he would love to have the answers to in short order. Others, he wasn't sure should be shared. After all, he had no idea how they'd react to someone like Worf.

Hiro waved aside his concerns. "It's fine," he assured. "We're only here to help."

They all followed the captain to the edge of the thicket. When it became obvious only a few of them would fit inside at a time, they decided on having Hiro and Baymax go. Baymax was, after all, the obvious choice. And Hiro, well, he was technically the leader and should be there. Besides, Baymax preferred it that way.

Once inside, Baymax knelt to take in his patient, a woman of mostly human nature. Baymax could tell from his previous scans, however, that she was not completely human, but chose to keep that to himself. For now. "I will scan the patient now," he announced, as was customary with new patients. "Scan complete."

Both Data and Picard seemed a bit taken aback by that announcement. They saw no means to scan, no tricorders, no handheld scanners. Nothing. The speed of the scan was also rather astonishing, provided it wasn't a hoax.

"The patient has sustained a mild concussion due to blunt force trauma," Baymax announced to Hiro. "I also detect a break in her left humerus that has been reset. However, it would be advisable to properly brace the bone to prevent further injury."

This information was nothing new to Hiro, though he rather thought the robot was saying it again for the benefit of those around him. But it was nice to know nothing had really changed in the meantime.

Baymax stood from his crouch. "As I do not have any equipment to properly treat the patient here, I would recommend relocating her to the nearest medical facility. I do not detect any blood clots or other causes for alarm and believe a full recovery is likely."

The captain exchanged glances with the android. Worf had moved into the shadows to hide his unusual physical characteristics. "What do you think, Data?"

Data contemplated the information at hand. "I do not believe that would be advisable, captain," he admitted. "I am sure you understand why."

Picard pressed a finger to his left brow. A slight headache had formed there. "I do," he replied with a sigh. It would not do to unnecessarily expose themselves. And though Deanna was mostly human, part of her was also Betazoid. They would have to find another way. Then of course came the notion that they somehow still needed to figure out just where they were and how to get home again.

Hiro watched this exchange with some irritation. But how could these strangers know they're obvious alienness had already been discovered? As far as their non-human companions were concerned at least. He might as well have out with it. "If you're worried about someone discovering your obviously alien companions, I have a solution for that."

That comment brought up more than one head as shock registered on several faces. "What makes you think we're alien?" The captain had to remind himself to be calm.

The boy rolled his eyes, helmet still in one hand. He hadn't bothered to put it back on. "I may just be a teenager, but you're not the first space traveling people we've met. That and Baymax can tell the difference."

"Hello," Baymax said with a little circular wave of his hand. "I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. I am Baymax, your personal healthcare companion."

Data moved closer to inspect the red-clad robot. "Very curious, captain," he said, frowning. "It would appear that this individual is the one like myself." He looked up to Baymax's white face behind the red helmet, realizing he didn't have a mouth. "Are you an android?"

Baymax looked back at Data with a measure of confusion in his black irised eyes. "I am a robot," he informed. "My primary objective is to aide those in need of medical attention. However, my primary patient is Hiro and my team."

Picard eyed the teen with growing confusion. "How did a boy of your age come in possession of such technology?" he asked without thinking, not sure if he really wanted to know or if he was just voicing his surprise.

But Hiro ignored him. Instead, he moved towards the edge of the small hollow and called out to one of his team. "Fred, I need you to radio base and ask for the helicopter. We're going to need it."

The lizard-like creature bounced forward, the headpiece flipping back to reveal the man inside. "On it," he announced before turning around to make the call.

Seeing this display, Worf couldn't hide in the trees anymore and stepped forward. "Your lizard is actually a man?"

"Worf!" Picard barked as his officer came out into the open.

But Hiro didn't so much as flinch at the strange appearance of the Klingon as he came out into the open. "I take it you're not human," he said in reply. "I wondered which one of you wasn't."

Data stepped away from Baymax as he observed the confrontation. "It would seem that this planet's natives are not as primitive as we supposed."

Picard resisted the urge to roll his eyes at that comment. "Yes, thank you Data, I've noticed that," he said in a rather grouchy voice. All of this was a bit unnerving. Alien planet, with no warp capabilities and they knew about aliens. And acted like it wasn't any particular matter for concern. Just where had Q left them? "Something tells me we have a lot to learn from each other."

At that moment, Fred pushed his way back into the small clearing. "Heathcliff's on his way," he announced. "Though he can't exactly land here. We'll have to go to that clearing by the crater if we want to meet up with him."

Hiro nodded, then looked at Picard. "We have a helicopter coming that can transport you to our base of operations. Once there, Baymax can treat your friend and you can explain just how you got here."

Picard was a bit taken back by the tone the teen used. He was obviously used to some form of authority, further solidifying the idea that he was indeed the leader of this group. "It would seem we have little choice in the matter," he finally agreed.

"Captain!" Worf complained. "I do not think it wise—"

But the captain cut him off. "No. I don't suppose you would," he said in a disagreeable tone. "However, I don't see any other solutions to our current situation."

The Klingon frowned but backed down. "Very well. But I do not like it."

Trying to put on a friendlier smile, Picard turned back to Hiro. "We would be happy to accept your offer. Please lead the way."

At a nod from Hiro, Baymax moved to pick up the unconscious Deanna Troi. "This way," the robot announced as he moved back towards the clearing outside the tree line.


	5. Welcome to Mi Casa!

Hiro questioned the sanity of his decision at least half a dozen times while the now much larger group rode in Fred's family chopper. Thankfully, the flying vehicle was large enough to accommodate all of them, albeit a bit snuggly. But it still left Hiro with the question of whether or not he'd made the right decision.

Wasabi decidedly did not look happy about events. He refused to look at Hiro or anyone else for that matter. Fred seemed more than elated by the turn of events. Despite having had the Doctor at home base before, he was excited to have a "real" alien come visit. GoGo seemed indifferent. And Honey Lemon, well, she was just hoping everything would work out.

There was one thing Hiro was sure of though. If anyone else were to realize there were real, honest to goodness aliens in San Fransokyo, someone would come looking for them, and not necessarily for the right reasons. They'd had their dealings with UNIT and Torchwood before. Of course, with Jack leading Torchwood, it wasn't too bad. But their experience with UNIT was not one they wanted to repeat. And there would be others; government officials, military, and private who might want to exploit their new friends, should they find them.

Picard watched the young hero from his side of the copter, contemplating the youth. There was something about him that spoke of more maturity than a typical teenager. This boy had seen many things most grown men would likely never see, of that he was sure. But it still bothered him that such a young person would be in charge of a group, any group with so obvious a purpose. They decidedly had a lot to learn about each other. The question was whether or not they would have the opportunity. He had to remember the Prime Directive, after all.

Worf sat in his seat and ignored everything else. He was well aware of the occasional glances his way from the natives of the planet. He was not unaccustomed to such behavior, though it had been some time since he'd last been the object of such. Despite that, it was still a bit unnerving and he didn't like it.

Data, on the other hand, found this rather unusual team of individuals to be quite fascinating. He had a sort of grin on his face as he observed them, though none were really talking. The situation would best be deemed as awkward, though it didn't bother the android. He was in the middle of trying to decipher whether or not their uniforms held any practical purpose when the craft's pilot announced, briefly, that they would soon be landing at their destination.

The announcement brought many curious stares out the windows as the helicopter was lowered to the ground. The location of its landing was a rather large square of cement, though it was the building nearby that caught the newcomers' attention.

The Whitmore manor was grand by even San Fransokyo standards. And, with its columns and other ornate features, it made for quite the sight. The size alone was monumental, with several stories to its credit. The white stone would have reflected any residual light from the sky, but the sun had long set by the time they'd arrived, which was just as well. It would be less likely others would observe their arrival, not that anyone in the area really cared. The mansion's owners often came and went at unusual times. That and the closest neighbors were some ways away.

Fred jumped from the helicopter before it had even come within five meters of landing. He simply slid the cargo door open and jumped out. The group from the Enterprise, excepting Data and Troi, called out in alarm, though the Big Heroes didn't seem at all fazed by the odd behavior. To them it was nothing new.

When the copter did land only a few seconds later, Fred met them with a grand gesture. "Welcome to mi casa!" he announced proudly as the rotors from the machine slowly came to a stop and the others exited the vehicle.

Baymax was the last to leave the confines of the metal shell, still carrying the unconscious ship's counselor in his rather large arms. "I would like to take my patient to the treatment room as soon as possible," he announced.

But Fred was way ahead of everyone else as he all but bounced towards the back entrance and threw the doors open, much to the dismay of his butler. But Heathcliff was rather used to his master's eccentricities and didn't mind too much. After all, he'd just finished grounding the helicopter for the night.

The small group followed the lizard-costumed billionaire inside. Even though it was the back entrance, it was still grand, with its share of unusual artifacts that caused some mixed feelings on the part of their visitors. To the Big Heroes, it was nothing they hadn't seen before.

"Fascinating," Data observed as he took mental note of the mansion's interior. "It would seem that this building is a perfect blend of several human artistic styles, with artwork not dissimilar to that of twentieth century Earth."

Wasabi gave the android a rather funny look at that, but turned his attention back to the Klingon in front of him. There was just something about that man he wasn't sure he liked. And it wasn't just the odd ridges on his forehead either.

"Up here," Fred called from further up. He'd climbed a set of stairs and now stood at the top, waving them all forward. "You should have seen this place just even a month ago. We've improved thing so much since then"

Honey Lemon gave the eager fan boy a nervous glance. "Fred, I don't think you should be giving everything away all at once."

The school mascot blinked at her for a moment before the idea finally cemented in his brain. "Oh, right. Sorry about that." He looked properly chagrined. "The main stuff can wait until later."

Wasabi gave him a look as he passed him, heading into their command center. But he'd been right. They had made numerous modifications to their home base. It was now much more compartmentalized and tidy. Everything had a place and everything was, more or less, in its place.

Thanks to Fred's resources, they'd added a 3D printer to the main area, allowing them to create and replace any damaged pieces of armor at the mansion, instead of having to go to the Lucky Cat Café or the school to do so. They'd also expanded the medical area now that they had a sometime doctor to help out. Unfortunately, she wasn't currently available. She'd apologized for having some secret mission halfway across the world. And Jack wasn't available for comment.

Thanks to Hiro's input they'd upgraded the computer systems. A replica of Baymax's charger had also been installed in the main command room, along with a large wall clock. Hiro had insisted on that one. They'd also placed a clock in the medical area, which was situated in such a way as to block off any view of the main command center from outsiders while still allowing access to those who needed it.

Baymax stepped into the medical area. They'd cordoned that area off after their encounter with the Doctor. It wouldn't do to show all their cards to any newcomers all at the same time. Moving into the open medical suite, he placed the injured Deanna Troi on the examination table there. Several folding cots sat stacked against one wall, just in case they were needed.

The three space travelers looked around the suite with curiosity. Data pulled out his tricorder and scanned the room. "This area is surprisingly quite secure," he reported. "I detect high level encryption technology surrounding this part of the building."

Hiro followed them in, tucking his helmet under one arm. 'In our line of work, anonymity is important," he said. "I wouldn't have brought you here if I thought it less than a good idea. As things stand, it's still not a really good idea, just not the worst. I know what certain people would do if they found out there are aliens in your party. That said, I hope you understand the risk we're taking in bringing you here."

Picard looked around at the Big Heroes, noting the expressions on their faces as they removed helmets and other headgear. "I see your point. You can rest assured we will not share your secrets with anyone. It goes against our beliefs to interfere with other cultures' affairs."

Honey seemed to breathe a sigh of relief while GoGo and Wasabi stood with arms folded. Remembering herself, the Latino chemist quickly went into the other room and brought back a small handheld scanner. She handed the device to Hiro. "I thought you might need this," she said as he accepted it.

"Good idea," Hiro praised, then turned to the captain. "Baymax said your companion needed some kind of brace to keep the break from being disturbed while it heals. The best thing I can do, short of taking you somewhere to get a cast, is to have a 3D brace printed."

Data moved forward, looking curiously at the device in Hiro's hand. "May I?"

Hiro handed the scanner to the android albeit a bit reluctantly. "Uh, sure. Just don't break it. It's not like we can go replacing it every time it breaks."

The android inspected the device. "It appears to be some kind of scanning device," he announced as he handed it back to the teen. "I do not believe it will pose any risk to any of us."

Hiro shook his head at that, mostly out of amusement, though he supposed he could see their point of view. "This should be quick and painless," he announced as moved over to the examination table and quickly ran the beam over the unconscious counselor's arm. He then headed towards the main area of their command center. "I'll be right back."

"I'm going to help Hiro," Honey Lemon announced as she left the room, the short skirt of her uniform swinging as she walked, high heels clacking against the hard floor.

Wasabi looked around the room, his arms still folded. "Well this is going to be interesting." He glared at the Klingon when he noticed him staring.

Fred slipped out of the room when no one was looking.

........................................

Hiro pulled over a swivel chair and plunked down into it as he inspected the scan on the holographic computer. It sure beat having to go home for this kind of thing, he thought. He wasn't sure how his aunt would view four strange adults, two alien, though only one was obviously alien, and one an android. It was probably better this way.

Calling up the necessary program, Hiro quickly designed a simple brace that would immobilize the injured woman's arm in such a manner as to allow it to heal correctly. They'd still have to find her a sling, but that was something any one of them could purchase at a convenient store.

"Hiro," Honey Lemon said, announcing her presence. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Hiro finished inputting the data he needed, and then sent the design to the printer. "Sure. What do you need?" He spun away from the chair as he went to watch the printer at work.

Honey followed him, wringing her hands. "I don't mean to question you, but do you really think it was a good idea to bring them here?"

Letting out a heavy sigh, Hiro shook his head. "I honestly don't know, "he admitted. "Part of me says no. But another part of me says it's better this way. If anyone else got even one hint of their alien nature, they'd have the government on them so fast their heads would spin. Then what would happen? Could we really consider ourselves protectors, knowing we'd put them in harm's way?"

The printer finished doing its thing, the metal arms coming to a rest once more. Hiro reached in to retrieve the durable sleeve it had created. "I understand that it puts us at risk too," he added when his companion remained silent. "But I think we can trust them."

"It's not that I don't think we can't trust them," Honey hedged as Hiro turned towards her. "It's that I feel a sense of danger coming from them, particularly from the one with the ridged face. Out of all of them, I'd probably trust Baymax's patient the most. We just haven't been officially introduced yet."

Hiro had to nod at that. "I agree. We'll have to tread lightly with them and see how things go, take things one step at a time. I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. How about you?"

"Oh, I'm willing," Honey asserted. "I'm just not sure about Wasabi and GoGo."


	6. Agree or Disagree

Picard looked around the room once more, feeling more than a little out of place. With two of the planet's natives staring at them, he couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable. It was obvious that at least the male didn't approve of them. He wasn't sure about the female yet.

"So," the captain began, trying to break the awkward silence Hiro's absence seemed to create, "why don't you tell us a bit about yourselves? For example, how is it that someone as young as Hiro came to be in charge of this rather unusual group?"

Wasabi frowned even more, arms tightly folded across his chest. "That is classified," he replied. "Look, I appreciate that you're trying to get to know us a bit better, but would you please just stop? You're only here because Hiro thought it was a good idea. And quite honestly, if it was up to me, I would've gone with option one and just sent you to one of the local hospitals."

His little speech gave all three visitors cause for surprise, though it wasn't necessarily unexpected. They were strange people in an equally strange land. And Picard rather thought this individual in particular was the least trusting of the group. "My apologies," he said instead of pushing the subject. "We never meant to intrude."

Baymax observed this conversation, along with Data, who stood near him. The robot looked up at Wasabi's comments, blinking. A quick scan showed that Wasabi's vitals were a bit elevated, though they were decidedly consistent with the outward emotions he was showing. "Had we gone with this option," the vinyl marshmallow reminded, "it is quite likely events would arise that would be unpleasant to all."

Wasabi rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Just call me when everyone turns their brains back on." He turned on his heels and stormed out of the room.

Data looked up at Baymax, who was only a little taller than he was. "It would seem that your companion is unhappy with the situation he finds himself in."

GoGo chose that moment to pop a gum bubble quite loudly. "That would be an understatement," she corrected. "I won't pretend I agree or disagree with him," she added. "Honestly, I don't think any of us thought the day would end this way. None of us were expecting to come across a bunch of aliens. The last time may have ended well, but there were a lot of complications between that didn't."

"I see," Data said, understanding written across his face. "While your previous encounters may not have necessarily been bad, many things occurred that make any memory of those occasions overshadow the good."

The adrenaline junky unwound her arms from her chest with a sigh. "Something like that. Let's just say that the last time we encountered something extra-terrestrial Hiro almost died. It's not exactly something we want to repeat, especially not since he's just getting back on his feet. So I'm just going to put this out there, if you do anything to hurt Hiro, or anyone else in this group, I will personally take you down."

Picard couldn't help but take a partial step back as GoGo moved into his space, finger pointing right at his face as she gave her warning. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Worf reach for his phaser so he quickly waved a hand to stop him. "Understood. We wouldn't dream of trying to hurt any member of your team. We are a peaceful people. Our main goal is to return home."

That answer seemed to satisfy GoGo as she stepped back to lean against the dividing wall. "Good. Just remember that."

At that moment, Hiro returned, Honey Lemon behind her. "I've printed off a brace for your companion's arm," he announced as he held up the apparatus. "This should keep her arm stabilized enough to heal properly." He walked over to Baymax and handed him the device.

Baymax seemed to observe the object, and then nodded. "That should be sufficient. I would like to remind you, however, that it will be difficult for me to perform the necessary tasks while still in my armor."

Reminded that his robot was still in battle gear, Hiro resisted the urge to smack himself. "Right," he said instead and went to remove the giant gauntlets covering Baymax's arms. The rest of the suit followed, which he stacked to one side. "How's that?"

"That is much better," Baymax replied. He then turned to Data who stared at him in fascination. "I would ask your assistance," he announced. "Please secure the patient while I apply the brace."

Data quickly complied, holding Deanna's arm in position for the printed material to be applied. He watched the robot most carefully as he placed the brace on his companion's arm, noting the care with which that action was taken.

"Rotary movement should be limited," Baymax instructed, "until the bone has had sufficient time to mend." He straightened up as his patient began to make groaning sounds. "The patient is regaining consciousness."

Hearing that, Picard stepped forward. "Deanna," he said with a tenderness reserved for friends, "can you hear me?"

The woman groggily opened her eyes, wincing as she moved her uninjured arm to her head. "Captain," she managed. "Where are we?"

"It's alright," Picard soothed. "We're safe."

Deanna tried to sit up a little, with Data aiding her. "What happened? The last thing I remember was you carrying me in the caves. Then there was a bright flash of light."

The captain nodded. "That was compliments of Q," he confirmed. "He helped us vacate the vicinity."

That announcement seemed to cause apprehension in Baymax's patient. "Your heart rate has accelerated dramatically," the robot announced.

Deanna looked up at the robot with some measure of alarm, which she quickly tried to calm. She couldn't feel anything coming from the vinyl-covered machine, though he did look rather non-threatening. "We seem to have fallen into interesting company, Captain," she said, trying to mask her trepidation.

Picard placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright. We're among friends." He glanced back to the rest of the group, particularly GoGo. "I hope."

"Please refrain from over exertion," Baymax instructed as the counselor moved to a more upright position. "You are suffering from a mild concussion and a broken arm. It is recommended you try to remain calm."

The ship's counselor glanced questioningly towards Picard as she mentally scanned the emotional atmosphere in the room. "Captain, who are these people?"

Hiro took that opportunity to step forward. "I'm Hiro," he introduced. "We found you in the woods and had you brought here."

"It would seem that Q has transported us to an alien planet, perhaps as part of some joke," Picard said wryly. "These people brought you here for medical attention."

All eyes turned to the doorway as Fred returned, wearing more "normal" attire, well, normal for him. He had on a baggy t-shirt and pants, wearing a beanie with an eyeball knitted into the design. "Hey everyone. Just thought I'd let you know Heathcliff's put together a little something if you're hungry. I can either ask him to bring it up here or we can do down to the dining room."

Realizing Wasabi was missing from the group, Hiro looked around to find him. When that didn't produce results, he shrugged. "Let's go down," he suggested. "There's more room that way." He turned to his vinyl companion. "What do you think, buddy? Is your patient okay to move?"

Everyone seemed to consider the healthcare robot as he assessed his patient. "All vitals are stable," he reported. "I do not believe there will be any complications. I would like to continue to observe her condition but do not believe moving around will cause any further injuries."

"Oh, hey," Fred said, pulling out a bandana. "Why don't you use this as a sling until we can get one." He handed the fabric square to Hiro who passed it to Data. The android quickly tied the fabric for the ship's counselor.

"That's settled then," Picard said, straightening his uniform. "If you would be so kind as to lead the way, we'll follow."

Hiro glanced between Fred and the rest of his team. "Why don't you go ahead and take them down and we'll join you? As much as I love staying in gear, I'm sure the others wouldn't mind dressing down."

Fred nodded at that. It was only fair. He knew how uncomfortable sitting at a dining room table could be when wearing formal attire. "No problem," he replied. "We'll meet you down there." He turned to their guests. "If you'll follow me." He gave a sort of bow, trying to imitate Heathcliff and failed miserably, though it didn't seem to bother him as he strode out the door.


	7. Not Happy

Hiro made his way to the room he usually used to crash in when staying over at Fred's place. He generally shared it with Wasabi, though the OCD physicist had a clearly drawn out line to separate the two parts of the room, mostly because Hiro wasn't as much of a neat freak as he was.

Wasabi sat on the bed on his side of the room, his back turned to the door when Hiro came in. Everything was perfectly aligned there, down to the smallest item. And his gear was already stored away back in the command center. He'd slipped into the command center while everyone was busy in the medical lounge.

The teen leader paused at the door, not sure what was going on with his friend. After all, he hadn't been there for the conversation between the man and their guests. But it was obvious something was on his mind and he couldn't just sit back and let things fester. "Hey," he called out as he walked over to his side of the room.

Not turning, Wasabi let out a sigh. "You know I'm not happy about this," he said after another long moment of silence.

Hiro paused in the middle of taking off his chest plate. His gauntlets sat on the bed, waiting to be taken back to their customary resting place. He'd figured it would be easier to talk with Wasabi first. "Happy about what exactly?" There were half a dozen things Hiro could think of that would make Wasabi upset.

Finally turning, Wasabi gave his leader a frown as he gestured widely with his arms. "This. All of this. You bringing those strangers here. We don't even know them or anything about them!" He stood with the heat of his words, subconsciously walking over to Hiro and staring pointedly down into his face. "What if they're not what they say they are? Are you willing to take that risk?"

Hiro reminded himself to breathe as he counted to five to calm himself down. Wasabi was decidedly fired up and his inner demons wanted to retaliate, but he knew that would be a bad idea. "I'm sorry you're not comfortable with the situation," he said instead. "To be honest, I'm still not sure about it myself."

That comment seemed to throw Wasabi a bit and he stared at Hiro with his mouth slightly open. But he rallied himself. "Then why did you do it? You're risking everything! They now know who we are under the mask. They know where our base of operations is. The only thing they don't know is how we got to be like this and why."

A few snaps sounded as Hiro unclasped the back and chest plate of his gear, setting the pieces aside. "Not true," he defended. "There are a lot of things they don't know about us. And I plan on keeping it that way until we know more about them and where they come from."

Wasabi rolled his eyes but took a step back. "Do you ever really think things through? Or is it always on a whim for you? I know Tadashi wanted to help people and you've made it your life's mission but—"

Hiro waved him to silence, the air suddenly heavy with the mention of Tadashi's name. It was still a sore subject, and to have Wasabi try and use his brother against him... well, that wasn't acceptable. "Look, I know it's probably stupid and reckless, but isn't that part of what being a super hero is all about? We do the things no one else will do. For example, taking on that madman at the hospital when we were told to stay out of it. Did we listen? No. But we stopped a huge disaster."

"And you almost got yourself killed," Wasabi pointed out, arms crossed over his chest.

The teen sighed again, trying to find the patience he knew he needed. His juvenile side decidedly wanted to lash out irrationally. And even though what Wasabi said hurt, he did have a point. "Yes," he agreed after another long silence. "Yes, I almost got myself killed. And we've all almost gotten ourselves killed who knows how many times. I don't think that's really the point."

Wasabi refused to back down though. "Fine. So what really is the point?"

Hiro didn't want to do this. He really didn't. He was tired. He was sore and just wanted to eat some food and relax. But this had to be taken care of before it became worse. "Are you really mad at me for bringing them here? Or is there another reason? I saw the way you eyed that one guy, what is he? A Klingon? Maybe you're just feeling intimidated by him. But look at it from their perspective for a moment. They're in a strange place, where they don't know anyone. If you were in their shoes, wouldn't you want someone to help?"

He had him there and Wasabi knew it. Because if he'd been in their shoes, he would want someone to help too. "That's not the point!" the physicist protested.

"Then what _is_ the point?" Hiro asked resignedly. His stomach growled slightly and he hoped Wasabi couldn't hear it.

Wasabi let his arms fall back to his sides. "I just wish you'd asked us first before deciding to bring them here. This is our safe place, where we can talk about hero stuff. Fred would call it our 'Inner Sanctum' or something like that. You can't just bring anyone here, not without consulting everyone involved."

Hiro moved behind a screen to finish changing, realizing his friend was right. He came back out, dressed in cargo shorts and a t-shirt. "You're right," he confessed. "You're absolutely right and I'm sorry I didn't consult you or any of the others. It seemed like the best thing to do at the time, but I'm sorry. I should have asked first."

Seeing the look of remorse in Hiro's eyes, Wasabi couldn't help but back down, though he still wanted to drive his point home. "Just remember we're a team," he said a bit gruffly.

"Yeah," Hiro said, hanging his head slightly. He sometimes wondered if the others realized just how inadequate he felt sometimes, and now was one of those times. He was still just a kid after all, prone to mistakes and everything. "I'll do that."

At that moment, Wasabi's stomach growled much more loudly than Hiro's had. He looked a bit surprised by that. "I hope Fred had something prepared for us," he said, trying to change the subject. "Fighting villains and acts of nature make me hungry."

That brought a smile to Hiro's lips. "Actually, Fred did have Heathcliff prepare something. I was going to go looking for you after I changed to see if you wanted to come down."

Seeing how sincere the teen was, Wasabi couldn't help but smile. "Yes, I think I would," he said. "I'm still not sure about these strangers, but I'd rather keep my eye on them, if you know what I mean."

Hiro chuckled at that. "Yeah. There's still so much we don't know about them. I'd like to keep an eye on them too."

Everything at least temporarily settled, the two friends headed towards the door. They were about to walk through the doorway when the strangest sensation filled the both of them, like a sudden onset of vertigo or an earthquake without the massive tremors.

Wasabi felt as though his legs had gone temporarily numb, his vision blurring just a little. He shook his head to clear his vision. "What in the world was that?" Whatever it was, it hadn't lasted long, at least not for him.

Hiro, on the other hand, felt as though someone had punched him in the gut and he slumped to the ground, his ears feeling as though someone was stabbing them repeatedly with a sharp object. He clutched at his head with a cry of pain.

"Hiro!" Wasabi called out as he crouched to the downed boy's level. "Hey, you okay?"

The teen shook his head as the pain changed to a buzzing pressure in his ears, making his head feel as though it was an overfilled balloon waiting to pop. He winced as the pressure changed and his ears tried to compensate.

Hiro panted as his stomach tried to knot up. He'd felt this before, though it had been some time. Scrunching his eyes closed, he focused on breathing in and out slowly. After about a minute, the sensation began to fade.

"I'm going to get Baymax," Wasabi announced, getting back to his feet.

But Hiro reached out a hand to stop him, grabbing Wasabi by the ankle. "No,'" he protested in a quiet voice. "It's already passing. I'll be fine in another minute." He leaned against the door frame, one hand resting in his lap, the other pressed against his head.

Wasabi shook his head. "I don't know," he said hesitantly. "You look kind of pale." He ran a hand across his jaw line. "To be honest, it's almost like that time back with all the earthquakes."

Hiro pushed up to his feet, using the door frame as a support. "See?" he admonished gently. "Back to normal." He wobbled a bit as he moved away from the wall.

"Not normal," Wasabi disagreed. He suddenly wished the Doctor was there, illogical police box and all. "You can barely stand upright." But he paused at the look Hiro gave him. "Come on then," he sighed. "You can lean against me going downstairs."

The teen genius didn't have much choice as he felt rather drained. But he planted his feet once they'd made it down the stairs. "Wasabi, I want you to promise me something. Don't tell the others about this."

"What?!" Wasabi almost pulled away in surprise, but stopped himself. Hiro would likely fall over if he did. "You can't be serious. At least Baymax should know."

Hiro tilted his head to look into the taller man's eyes. "I'm deadly serious," he contradicted. "Not even Baymax. I'm just really tired after getting back into the swing of things. The others have enough to worry about right now."

But Wasabi didn't look convinced and it showed. "You know I can't lie to them. And how do you expect to hide this from Baymax? He'll know something's up even if I don't tell him."

Hiro let out a sigh. "It won't be lying, just omitting certain truths. I am tired. And that's all they need to know for now. If it happens again, I'll reevaluate the situation. Besides, Baymax is occupied. Okay?"

Wasabi hated it when he gave him that look. It was one that begged like a little puppy and had probably been employed on Tadashi any number of times when Hiro was younger. He couldn't help but agree. "Fine. But if it happens again, all bets are off."

The boy nodded. "Let's go before they send out a search party."


	8. Merely Surprised

"This is a rather unusual building," Picard observed as he followed Fred down the long hallway. He'd been mildly impressed with the architecture, though some of the artistic choices were decidedly odd.

Baymax shuffled behind the small group, keeping an eye on his current patient. The girls had quickly moved his armor to its respective storage area before going to change out of their own. Hiro had left rather quickly, leaving them with the task, though Honey lemon rather thought Hiro was looking for Wasabi.

Fred laughed at the captain's comment. "If you think this is unusual, you should see the art in the gallery," he quipped. "Now that has some interesting pieces. Of course, most of the art here was collected by my mom. She has some weird tastes."

The small party of explorers exchanged looks, slowing down just a little to put some distance between themselves and their guide. Fred was too busy talking about who knew what for him to really notice, though Baymax slowed his speed to compensate.

"What do you make of all this?" Picard asked Data as he swept a hand to encompass the rather odd situation they'd found themselves in.

Data seemed to contemplate for a moment. "It would seem that we have somehow landed ourselves in a potential alternate universe," he finally announced. "From what I can tell, this is their equivalent of the planet Earth. I had the opportunity to observe the sky while we were transported here in the helicopter they provided. The constellations are consistent with twenty-first century Earth. However, as to which period, I am unable to tell."

Deanna seemed to frown at that. "Are you suggesting we somehow went back in time in an alternate reality to our own?"

The android nodded. "That is precisely what I am suggesting, Counselor."

"This will present many difficulties in returning to the Enterprise," Worf commented in his gruff manner.

Picard chewed on that thought for a moment. "It will indeed. But if there was a way here, there must be a way back."

At that moment, Fred stopped at a set of wooden doors. "This way, guys," he called out, realizing his guests were a bit behind. "This is the dining room, though we don't usually use it unless we're entertaining."

The doors opened and a tall man came out, holding one side open for the small group to go through. "Dinner is served," Heathcliff said in his rather clipped English accent, his expression as unreadable as ever.

Picard seemed rather taken aback by this sudden introduction. "You keep a manservant?"

Fred looked up from his own thoughts as he waited for the others to go through the door. He had been taught proper etiquette after all. "What? Heathcliff? Sorta. He's more like a guardian, but yeah, I guess he is a manservant. I mean, he's a butler and all that so yeah."

"I do not believe such a practice to be uncommon in our history during this period," Data said in the captain's ear, hoping to alleviate the sudden confusion in the air. The rich of any period tended to have paid servants of one kind or another.

The captain looked suitably calmed as he fixed his uniform. "Of course. I was merely surprised. You're quite right, Mr. Data."

Once inside, the Enterprise crew noticed just how large the room was. Designed to hold delegates and rather large parties, the dining room was easily larger than a single holodeck. At least a hundred people could be comfortably situated inside. Despite this observation, they noticed that only one end of the table was prepared, with enough place settings for their group and their unusual hosts., at least for those of them that could eat. Baymax didn't exactly count.

"Heathcliff wasn't sure what all you guys might like so I asked him to go with the basics," Fred apologized. "But if there's anything you'd really like, I'm sure he can come up with it. He's really good at what he does. That and we have a caterer on speed dail."

Worf took in the view of human food, mostly comprised of mashed potatoes, some meat dish, and several sides of vegetables. "Do you have any Gagh?"

At the mention of that rather exotic sounding dish, Fred gave a sad shake of his head. "Sorry, man. We're fresh out of that." Then he perked up. "But I bet Heathcliff could whip up some borsch!"

Picard glanced at his security chief, giving him a slight shake of the head. "This should be fine," he said before the Klingon could ask about the dish, knowing he probably wouldn't like it. Most people who hadn't been brought up on the dish didn't.

"Thank you," Worf said with a slight incline of his head as he moved to the chairs. "This should be fine."

Then Fred seemed to realize something as he watched Data help Deanna into a chair. "Oh, hey. I totally forgot to ask, but do you actually eat? I mean, you're like a machine and all, right?" He stared at the android.

Data gave a thoughtful look at the mascot's concerns. "Though I am indeed an android, I am capable of consuming organic nutrients in the same manner as any humanoid form."

The captain was about to correct him with a far simpler version of what was just said but Fred just nodded. "I get you," the rich hero said. "I only asked because Baymax doesn't eat. That might partly be because he doesn't actually have a mouth, though I guess I never really thought about it before."

"I do not require ingesting food for energy," Baymax said. "However, I will need to return to my charging station within the next three hours."

Fred moved over to pat the robot on the arm. "No problem, buddy. I think Hiro plans on crashing here for the night anyway."

The others sat down during this exchange and Fred sauntered over to one of the prepared places at the table. "Maybe we should wait for the others," he mused.

Just as he was about to suggest Heathcliff go check on the other members of his team, Honey Lemon and GoGo entered the room. "Oh, hey! There you are," Fred said instead. "You run into Hiro or Wasabi on your way down?"

The two women exchanged glances, GoGo shrugged. "No, but they're probably taking their sweet time. You know how easy it is for Hiro to get distracted."

At that moment, something strange happened. It almost felt like the air rippled around them, causing a momentary sense of disorientation. Since the two girls were the only ones standing, they wobbled just a bit until the sensation passed. The others were luckier because they were already sitting.

"What was that?" Honey Lemon asked as she pushed up her glasses, making sure her feet were stable before moving towards the table.

Data whipped out his tricorder and began scanning the area, making minor adjustments to his instrument as he worked.

Baymax blinked as he looked around the room. "I detected a change in energy levels," he announced just as Data opened his mouth.

"The robot is correct," Data confirmed. "It would appear that we just experienced a random wave of energy passing through this location. Whatever caused it has stopped now."

Worf almost stood from his chair. "Are we being scanned?"

"I do not believe so," Data assured as he continued to scan the area. "Scans indicate this was more a surge of energy than any controlled matter. I do not detect anything that could cause this phenomenon."

Deanna looked around, in essence tasting the emotional states around her as she opened up her empathic senses. "I don't sense anything that would indicate a malevolent presence."

GoGo slung herself into one of the chairs. "So long as it doesn't happen again, we can wait until later to figure out what it was," she declared. "I'm starving. Saving people is hungry work and it's been hours since lunch." She reached for one of the serving bowls and dished up a healthy serving.

Reminded of the late hour, the others settled back in their chairs. Seeing that at least one of their rescuers wasn't standing on ceremony, Picard decided to follow the set example and reached for the plate of chicken in front of him.

"Oh, hey," Fred piped up as he took some meat. "I remember you saying your name was Picard, am I right?" he looked expectantly at the captain.

Picard looked up from serving some potatoes to his plate. "Yes, that's correct. Jean-Luc Picard."

Fred couldn't help but grin. "That's like French, right? I used to think Mi Casa was French for front door until Honey Lemon corrected me on that." His smile turned a bit nostalgic. "Man, that brings back memories of when I first brought Hiro and everyone here."

"Perhaps I should go in search of Hiro and Wasabi," Baymax suggested, now reminded of his number one patient. Seeing his current patient remained stable, despite the unusual phenomenon, he found it somewhat odd Hiro hadn't yet joined them. If his scans had been correct, and there was no reason to believe otherwise, he rather thought Hiro might be in need of some assistance.

Before the robot could reach the doors, however, they opened from the other side. Wasabi held the wood panel while Hiro walked through. He then followed his leader inside. "Whew! Did you guys feel that weird surge?" he asked, shaking slightly at the memory. "I thought I was going to pass out there for a minute."

Baymax ran a quick scan of Hiro as the boy slowly made his way to the table. He noted a few irregularities but wisely kept his thoughts to himself.

Hiro felt a little less wobbly, having snatched a piece of candy on the way down. He knew the sensation would gradually decrease, but he hadn't wanted Baymax commenting on potentially low blood sugar levels. That was a sure way to get the others agitated, and he definitely didn't want that.

Seeing the rest of their group had already started at least serving up food, Hiro plopped into the nearest empty chair and reached for a bowl, which happened to be full of broccoli. "Man, I'm beat," he sighed. And it was true, he was tired. Not having done any real super hero work in over a month had left him out of shape and he hated it.

With everyone there, and Hiro decidedly being silent, the others followed his example. Whether it was from fatigue, or wariness, was left up to interpretation. But the meal was decidedly a quiet one, even with the sounds that usually accompanies such a meal. And to all but two beings, one a robot, one an android, it was quite awkward.


	9. Something Going On

Lieutenant Worf frowned as he stood near the door of the room he'd been assigned. Unlike on the Enterprise, they were given bedrooms instead of suites. He supposed it couldn't be helped, but wondered why he was required to share his space with Lieutenant Commander Data. At least there had been enough rooms to provide both Deanna Troi and the Captain their own rooms, as was appropriate.

"I do not like it," Worf announced, arms crossed over his chest as usual. "This situation is entirely too out of hand." And even though the chicken their hosts had supplied had been delicious, he was still wary of everyone in the building.

Picard closed the book he'd picked up from the nightstand. "Agreed," he said, "though I rather think they're trying their best. It can't be helped." He turned towards Deanna, who had joined them for the impromptu meeting. "What do you think, Counselor?"

Deanna adjusted her arm in its sling to try and find a more comfortable position. "It's difficult to say," she admitted. "I sense no ill intent coming from our hosts. They are rather young, though each seems to be hiding something, probably of a personal nature. I wouldn't worry too much about it. However, our presence here is not viewed with equal feelings of cordiality, but I sense they are all trying to cope with it. They seem to mainly see our presence as more of an inconvenience than anything else."

"Continued scans indicate there are no weapons other than those displayed by our hosts upon our rescue," Data observed. "Their technology is decidedly less advanced than our own, but is impressive in its own right. I would not mind learning more about it or them."

The ship's counselor shifted positions once more, crossing one leg over the other as she sat on the edge of one of the beds. "There is something you should know," she admitted. "It would seem that this unusual group has undergone some recent hardship. I don't know what it is, but it has given several of them an edge of fear. Their leader, Hiro, is giving off feelings of determination that are far beyond any normal levels for that age. Out of all of them, I feel he is the most likely to be hiding something."

Picard looked up at that comment, his hands resting in his lap. "The boy?" He ran a hand over his smooth head. "Yes, I did think there was something going on with him. And some of the comments his friends have said support that. I do find it quite interesting that they have already encountered alien life, despite not having warp technology. Apparently this is a world where things are out of the usual order."

The captain stood and began pacing. He stopped to turn towards his science officer. "Data, I want you to do all you can to learn about these people and their technology. There must be a computer somewhere you can access. Do what you can." His attention turned to the Klingon. "Worf, keep an eye on our hosts as much as possible, the boy in particular. I want to know what he's hiding and why."

"Captain," Deanna spoke up again, "shouldn't we be focusing our attention on finding a way back home? While I appreciate trying to understand the world we are currently on, our priority should be finding a way back to the Enterprise."

But Picard shook his head. "Q brought us here," he reminded. "And I doubt anyone else but Q can take us back home. We will, of course, keep an open eye for him. But, in the meantime, I want to know everything there is to know about this place."

Deanna smiled. "Always the explorer," she mused. "Very well. What do you want me to do?" She sat up, sliding a few inches closer to the edge of the bed.

"I want you to keep tabs on their emotional status," Picard requested. "Learn all you can. I have the feeling that out of all of us, you are the most likely to succeed in befriending them, especially the two females, what did they call themselves?"

"Honey Lemon and GoGo," Data supplied helpfully.

Picard shook his head at that. "What kind of names are Honey Lemon and GoGo?" He waved the thought aside. "Anyway, try to befriend them and see what information you can gather that way. Perhaps they will be able to help us find another way off this planet."

The counselor nodded, careful not to jostle her head too much. Despite some painkillers given to her by the butler, her head still hurt from earlier. At least the medical robot had declared it safe for her to sleep, but she missed having the equipment and knowledge the Enterprise afforded.

"If we are all in agreement, you are dismissed," Picard said in his usual brisk manner. "I, for one, am tired and am going to bed." He walked to the door, remembering at the last second that he had to turn the knob to exit, and headed to his designated room.

............................

Despite being tired, Hiro didn't immediately go to bed. He had a lot on his mind and Baymax needed a recharge. Even with the Doctor's previous help in enlarging the robot's battery capacity, he still had to have some downtime. So Hiro opted to let him have it, knowing the inevitable was best not postponed.

The teen made his swivel chair move back and forth in a gentle swishing motion as he sat in the command center section of Fred's house. "You didn't say anything about me at dinner," he commented, staring at the healthcare robot.

Baymax blinked slowly as he stood in his charger. "I did not believe you wished me to mention your condition in front of strangers," he replied reasonably. "That would have broken patient confidentiality."

Hiro couldn't help but shake his head at that. It hadn't stopped the healthcare companion before. But he did have a point. Baymax was learning.

"I also detected signs indicating a desire to keep this information from the others," Baymax continued. "I deemed it best to remain silent. However, if you should encounter further similar situations, I feel obligated to inform them of your condition."

Pushing away from the chair, Hiro moved to pat Baymax on the arm. "I wouldn't have it any other way," he assured. "That being said, what do you think caused it? I mean, I have my suspicious, but can't prove anything. Nothing I've found online, or through satellite feeds shows anything that could cause that. The only seismic activity was from our guests crash landing and there aren't any asteroids close enough to be a problem."

"As I informed the others, I detected an energy surge during the duration you were affected," Baymax answered. "You may be interested to know that the others, including our guests, were affected as well. This indicates either a change in frequency or strength of the energy field. If I were able to compare the readings from the android's scanner, I might have more information. I believe his device may be more sensitive than my own."

Hiro returned to his seat, turning to face the computer once more. He idly typed out some commands as he rechecked what he'd already looked at before. And there was still nothing he could detect that would explain the phenomenon. No asteroids. No meteors in the area. No alien sightings reported. Not even on the government channels he'd hacked into. Jack had given him some really good codes for that purpose.

"I wasn't sure about that little device of his," the boy admitted. "Good to know I was right about that. About the energy surge, though, was it the same as that one entity? And if not, why would it affect me like that? And, for that matter, why the others as well?"

Baymax's battery was now fully charged, mostly because the Doctor had somehow managed to make it so the robot could charger faster on top of everything else. He stepped free of his case and waddled over to his friend. "I believe it was of a similar nature," he replied. "However, there appeared to be several differences. I am not yet sure of this though."

"That's okay, buddy," Hiro sighed, realizing Baymax had come up behind him to see what he was doing. He slumped back into the chair. "What about our new friends? What can you tell me about them?"

The robot stood up straight, as if giving a lecture while Hiro turned to face him once more. "Aside from the recent injuries of the woman named Deanna Troi, they seem to be in excellent health. As I do not have the necessary medical information for Worf's species, I can only go off of my current scans."

Hiro steepled his fingers together as he thought about that. What Baymax said was true, so they'd just have to hope the Klingon was healthy. And if that changed, he hoped Baymax would be able to detect it. "Okay, what about other things? Did you hear them say or do anything weird?"

"Yes," Baymax replied, and launched into a narration of the conversation he'd overhead their guests having while going down to dinner with Fred. "I do not believe they are like the Doctor and can move about in the same manner. It is unlikely they will be able to leave by the same means that brought them here."

Those words confirmed Hiro's fears. "So they're stuck. Fantastic. This is going to make life so much more interesting. I have no clue how to handle this situation! None! And I know there will be several people on our team who won't be happy about that."

"Perhaps it would help to look for a new angle," Baymax suggested. "If you would like, I will spot you." He held out his arms to grab Hiro's legs if he chose to flip into a handstand. It was something he'd done many times before when he wasn't sure how to deal with different situations.

Hiro waved off that idea. "Not tonight, buddy," he half laughed in appreciation. "I'm thinking I might call it a night. Going out again really did take a lot out of me and I'm really tired." He got up from his chair once more and headed down the hall, back to the main part of the mansion. The healthcare robot followed behind.


	10. Determined to Find Out

Cass Hamada couldn't help but stare at the rather unusual customer who had settled at the back table. It wasn't that he looked like a tramp or anything, but his clothes were rather unusual. They were Old Victorian and she wondered if he was an actor or something similar.

Whoever he was, he had appeared when her back was turned, then promptly fallen asleep against the wall. There were plenty of people who stepped in to "get away" from the world. He just hadn't ordered anything before dozing off and she didn't want to waste a cup of coffee by just leaving it at his table.

Her attention was diverted by a set of new customers entering the café. They were obviously college students. She could tell. Their hats had college logos on them, though only one said SFIT on it.

Thinking about SFIT, Cass couldn't help but wonder if her nephew was there now. Lately, he'd spent a lot of time there. With his ribs finally healed from that stupid incident with Mr. Krei, she wasn't surprised. She just hoped he wasn't pushing himself too hard.

"Did you see that?" a female customer exclaimed as she pointed out the window. Murmurs of confusion filled the air as patrons tried to figure out what was going on, noses pressed to the glass.

Cass was not without her sense of curiosity, though part of her sighed at the idea of having to clean nose prints from the windows. Despite that thought, she moved to investigate. "What's going on?"

Upon further prodding, the woman who'd spoken out confessed to seeing a man jog down the street on the other side of the road, only to suddenly disappear as if he were a ghost.

The look Cass gave her was disbelieving at best. And when the phenomenon wasn't repeated, even when another pedestrian crossed through the same area, she wrote it off as early morning tiredness. The only other explanation was that her nephew was messing around again.

Determined to find out one way or another, the café owner reached for her phone and dialed Hiro's number.

......................................

Hiro groaned as his cell phone rang from across the room. "It's way too early for this," he complained but got up when the tone started over. Someone really wanted to get a hold of him, he supposed.

Stumbling out of bed, Hiro made his way across the floor where his pants sat folded against the wall. His phone was in one of the pockets, where he'd forgotten to take it out the night before. He mentally reminded himself to either put his phone closer or on silent next time. He almost tripped on his hoodie, which had just been thrown on the floor.

Wasabi would have had an aneurysm had he seen that. But the neat freak was still sound asleep, snoring away like a log cutter. It was just as well.

"Hello?" Hiro answered in a groggy voice. "Aunt Cass? Huh? No. Crashed at Fred's place. Am I working on what?" The teen blinked a few times, wondering just what his aunt was talking about. In his semi-sleep state, it made no sense to him. "No. I'll be home later." Much later, he amended. He still felt worn out after yesterday's incidents. He felt lucky the campus was on a week-long break and he could afford to rest.

Saying the appropriate goodbyes, Hiro hung up the phone. He slowly made his way back to the bed. His thoughts caught up with him the moment he reached the mattress, jolting him wide awake. "Wait. What?!"

For the briefest of moments, he wondered if he'd been dreaming. But a quick look at the call log on his phone confirmed that he hadn't. He had really just talked to his aunt and she really had just asked if he'd been working on something... questionable.

What was it his aunt had asked exactly? Was he toying around with some kind of experiment involving making things disappear? Was she talking about teleportation? But how could she know about that unless someone else had made a portal?

Wait. Ms. Smith, Krei's personal assistant, had told them Krei had found the portal. It was alien tech. and if he'd found that, who was to say someone else hadn't found something similar? He had to investigate.

Not bothering to wake the others, especially not their guests, Hiro got dressed and snuck out of the room. He should have known better, though. Baymax was waiting just outside the door.

"Good morning, Hiro," Baymax greeted. "You are awake much earlier than usual. What seems to be the trouble?"

Making a snap decision, Hiro beckoned for the robot to follow him. "Come on. I need you to help me investigate something back at the café."

The robot decided not to question it as he followed his primary patient down the hall. He could tell something was going on simply because Hiro was never this awake so early in the morning. He figured he'd understand why once they reached the café. All he had to do was wait.

...................................

Deanna felt as though something was off the moment she woke up. Strange dreams had plagued her sleep and she had no more idea what to make of them than she did as to what had woken her.

It took a moment for the empath to remember where she was. Once that was recalled, she stretched out her senses to try and understand what had called her from sleep. Was it a feeling? An emotion felt from one of the others? She wasn't sure.

A clock on the night stand indicated it was eight hundred hours. And, as far as she could tell, neither one of her companions was awake. But someone was. No, make that two people. She could sense two distinct minds.

Deciding to investigate, Deanna quickly changed out of the borrowed night clothes and back into her uniform. It probably needed cleaning, but it was the only thing she had. The broken bone made it a bit difficult, but at least the brace was easily removed and put back on.

Deanna opened the door and almost walked into the butler. She quickly apologized; momentarily confused by a hint of amusement coming from the man she'd almost knocked over.

"If you are looking for Master Frederick, you will find him in the breakfast room," Heathcliff informed with a stiff bow. "Would you like me to show you the way?"

Danna couldn't help but smile at his overly formal manner. It reminded her a bit of the Captain. Underneath that, she could feel a slight sense of curiosity, though nothing more than passing. For a human, he had a very well-organized mind and kept his emotions strongly in check. "Yes please," she said with a bigger smile.

With a slight gesture for her to follow, Heathcliff moved down the hallway towards the center of the Manor. He led her down a flight of stairs, then to the left of where they'd had dinner the night before.

This room was smaller, with a normal-sized table closer to the windows. Several chairs sat under the table where a decent spread of traditional breakfast food waited.

Fred stood from his place at the far end as the door opened. "Morning!" he greeted the injured woman. "Want some breakfast? We don't usually stand on ceremony when my parents are away."

Troi absently tried to clasp her hands in front of her body but stopped when she remembered the brace and sling. "Morning," she returned, moving into the room. "You live with your parents?" She guessed he was somewhere in his early twenties, though she couldn't be sure.

It was an innocent enough question, Fred supposed, so he shrugged. "They're not usually home so it doesn't feel like it. Plus, it allows me to share my space with my friends. No one minds either."

Taking a seat, Deanna surveyed the food in front of her. It all looked and smelled delicious. She settled for some eggs and a croissant. From what she could tell of Fred, he was probably the most easy going of the group. His emotional state was laid back and mild. And he liked to talk.

Sprinkling some salt on her eggs, Deanna focused her gaze on her food. "Why don't you tell me a bit about yourself?" she suggested, taking a fork in hand.

Fred leaned back against his chair, totally relaxed and chill. "You want to know more about me or about my group?" He moved one leg to rest over the arm of his seat. "Just to clarify, there are decidedly things I can't talk about. That would be a total breach of confidentiality. That aside, what do you want to know?"

Troi felt a need to change gears, more than a little surprised by his response. Apparently Fred wasn't as naive as he pretended. "All right then," she said after swallowing her mouthful of food. "What can you tell me about your friends? I sense not everyone is happy we're here." She glanced around to indicate the whole manor.

"That's an understatement," Fred said with an eye roll. "Don't get me wrong, I'm totally cool with it, but some of the others are a little less so. They're more guarded, I guess you could say. Or maybe loyal. That's the word. Yeah. Loyal."

She'd sensed as much, but it was nice to have it confirmed. "How long have you known each other?" Deanna took a bite of her croissant, waiting for an answer without appearing like she was too eager for one.

Fred rubbed at one side of his face, his fingers teasing the edge of his customary beanie. "Um... now that's a bit more complicated," he admitted. "You see, we all met at different times, though all for the same reason. GoGo, Wasabi, and Honey Lemon are all in the same year at the college so that was a no brainer meeting on their part, being in similar fields and all. Tadashi's the one who brought them all together though."

Deanna couldn't help but look up at the sudden, though very brief, sense of sadness that accompanied the mention of Tadashi's name. "Is Tadashi still a friend of yours? You seemed a bit sad when you mentioned his name."

The mascot debated. Would this be considered one of those things he shouldn't mention? Or was it safe territory? Tadashi was the main reason everyone had met, but the subject was still just a tad bit taboo, in a manner of speaking. It had become less so after the whole hospital bombing incident, but it was still very touchy. Especially for Hiro.

Taking a moment to distance himself from the implications, Fred spooned up some cereal from the bread bowl he'd been using. "Tadashi.... Well, Tadashi's dead," he finally admitted. "He died over a year ago in a fire."

Waves of sadness washed over the empath as Fred thought about his friend. There were decided mixed feelings about the incident and part of her felt curious about that. But she wasn't there to act as a counselor. She was there to gain information. Of course, if she did a bit of counseling on the side, that wouldn't hurt matters, but she didn't feel now was the time. "And what about you? How do you fit in?"

That seemed to change Fred's mood in a hurry as he grinned. "Well, I guess you could say I knew Tadashi before the others did. You see, I'm like the school's mascot. It's kind of a deal my parents worked out when they decided to help fund the place. It gives them more of an "in" having me there and all, since I technically graduated from school a bit sooner than most. Not that I like to brag about that or anything. I just did most of my schooling online or through a tutor."

Online. Now that was a term Deanna wasn't sure she understood, but she nodded anyway. Maybe it was slang for some form for education similar to what their computer back on the ship would provide. At least that's what it seemed like. "And you met your friend, Tadashi wasn't it? through being a mascot?"

Fred laughed. He couldn't help it. "Yeah. I caught him watching me one day while I was practicing my moves back when I tried public school. We went to the same place and it just seemed like a good idea to have each others' backs. He was a science nerd and I was a comic book enthusiast. Well, I still am but that's beside the point. Anyway, we both had our fair share of bullying, which is probably why we got along so well."

The ship's counselor filed that tidbit away in case she needed it for later. It wasn't really pertinent to what she was trying to learn at the moment, but it might be helpful. She finished her eggs before putting her fork back down on the plate. "And what about Hiro? He seems a bit young to be with people your age." She guessed there was at least a six year difference.

The last mouthful of cereal disappeared down Fred's throat with a contented sigh. "Hiro? I didn't actually meet him until like a year and a half ago. Again, Tadashi's the one who basically introduced us. He wanted to get his kid brother to enroll at the university. Now I know what you're thinking," he waved his spoon at Trio. "Hiro's really young for that. I mean, at the time he was only fourteen. But he's a genius, graduated high school at thirteen. I always thought that was pretty cool. Of course, Tadashi always thought he could have finished sooner if other things hadn't happened."

Admiration filled the room as Fred thought about the accomplishments Tadashi's kid brother had made since they'd first met. There had been many, including the creation of Big Hero Six. Of course there had been a fair share of bad things happen as well. Tadashi's death, the Viper group wanting to take over the world, to name a few, but they'd gotten through them and would continue to overcome whatever came their way. They were a team, after all.

Deanna contemplated the information she'd gathered, both literal and metaphysical. Fred's emotions, though simple on the surface, were a complex symphony underneath, and she found it fascinating. This was a person of many layers, inexperienced in a lot of ways, but more wise than anyone would probably guess upon just meeting him. And if nothing else held true, he fascinated her and that was enough to keep the conversation going.

After some careful prodding, Fred shared some random anecdotes from school life. They were things that were safe, like failed experiments and pep rallies, simple college stories that wouldn't get anyone in trouble. And, for the most part, his guest seemed more than willing to listen, which was a nice change to people ignoring his antics.


	11. What Were You Thinking?

Baymax waddled down the street as he followed his young charge. Strictly speaking, he probably should have informed the others of their plans, but he figured Hiro couldn't get into too much trouble by going about on his own, especially since he planned on heading directly to the Lucky Cat Café. It was home, and that usually meant staying out of trouble.

Okay, who was he fooling? Despite knowing things had happened in the past, both at the café and other places, Baymax had no real way of determining what would and would not be constituted as a "good idea" when it came to the unknown. After all, he had encouraged Hiro to do things that most adults wouldn't allow more than once. Maybe that's part of why Hiro liked him so much.

"If I can get more information from Aunt Cass and anyone else who saw this phenomenon, I might be able to form a better idea of what happened," Hiro explained as they walked. He wasn't sure if Baymax was really listening or not, but it helped him to think by talking out loud. After all, he wasn't sure yet what was going on, if anything.

The incident might have just been someone pulling a prank. It wasn't unheard of, especially not with the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology nearby. But he couldn't recall hearing anything about any of his fellow classmates working on anything like that. Though it was possible there was some kind of holographic projection involved, he couldn't entirely dismiss the sinking feeling that alien tech was somehow to blame.

Hiro was so caught up in his own thoughts that he didn't paying attention to where he was going and totally ignored the lack of a crossing signal. Thankfully, Baymax pulled him back in time to avoid his getting hit by a car. The driver was not so pleased and honked, making a rather rude gesture, but Hiro was too absorbed in his own thoughts to pay it any mind.

"I highly recommend paying closer attention to your surroundings," Baymax said as Hiro narrowly avoided running into a fire hydrant. "Your air of distraction may lead to unintentional bodily harm."

That comment seemed to pull Hiro out of the clouds and back down to earth. He slowed his pace, coming to a stop as they came upon another crosswalk. "Sorry, Baymax," he apologized. "I'm just trying to figure out what's going on. I mean, it could just be nothing. It could be a lot of things. I just don't know."

Baymax lifted a finger in the air as the walk signal flashed green. "May I suggest postponing further contemplation until all of the facts have been gathered? I would prefer we arrive at the café with all of your functions intact."

Hiro laughed at that. "You've been talking to that Data guy, haven't you?" He shook his head in amusement as they crossed the street. "He's an interesting individual. Honestly, I wouldn't mind learning more about him. The possibilities associated with the technology he represents are endless! Not that I'd want to take him apart or anything," he added almost contritely. "That would be like taking you apart and that's somehow just wrong."

"I would also prefer not to be dismantled," Baymax agreed. "I am sure Data shares those sentiments."

Their conversation came to an abrupt end as they rounded the corner across the street from the café. Nothing seemed wrong, no matter how much Hiro scanned the area. "Baymax, do you detect anything out of the ordinary? Any unusual energy readings or activity?"

Baymax stationed himself in a spot that would allow the largest view of the street. He slowly scanned the area, including the individuals walking, driving, and simply residing in the prescribed area. "I do not detect anything that would cause concern," he reported when finished.

Hiro sighed as he patted one vinyl arm. "I was afraid of that," he admitted. "Come on. Let's go talk to my aunt. Maybe she can tell us more about what's going on."

..............................

By the time the others had woken, Fred had Deanna Troi in stitches. The mascot was standing on one end of the table, totally at ease as he reenacted a prank he'd pulled on some freshmen just the other day. It was a harmless thing, mostly consisting of Fred hiding in his mascot costume and pretending to be a real lizard.

"You should have seen them jump!" Fred exclaimed as he leapt off the table, only to land on the floor in a crouch. It was an almost perfect reenactment of the incident. "It was epic!"

Deanna stifled a laugh as Picard, Worf, and Data entered the room, followed by Honey Lemon, GoGo, and Wasabi. She straightened up as she realized the captain was there. "We were just sharing stories," she explained at his incredulous look. "I find his antics to be quite entertaining."

Picard cleared his throat, resisting the urge to tug at his uniform collar. He didn't usually wear the same uniform twice in a row and he felt more than a little in need of a shower. "Yes, well be that as it may, Counselor," he paused, remembering their hosts were in attendance, "ahem, we can save that for another time, perhaps."

"Really, Fred?" Wasabi shook his head at the other man's antics. "What were you thinking?" He almost jumped back as he realized Fred had left shoe marks on the table. "That is disgusting! I am so not eating from the same table you were standing on!"

Honey Lemon hid a smile at her colleague's declaration. It was decidedly nothing new. She moved into the room and took a seat near the plate of muffins. "Looks like Heathcliff delivered as usual," she commented as she took a muffin.

"I wish to share in whatever it is that has caused a moment of mirth," Data declared.

Deanna smiled at that. "Another time, perhaps," she assured, leading him to the table. "But for now, I would like to find a place to clean up, and perhaps find a clean set of clothes."

GoGo popped a gum bubble as she leaned against the doorframe. "That would be a good idea," she stated, arms folded, then glanced at Fred. "Hey, Fred, think you can cough up some change so we can take these space guys shopping?"

For a moment, it seemed as if Worf was going to take offense to the term but was silenced by his superior. "A change of clothes would be nice," he admitted.

Fred moved towards the adrenaline junky, a slow smile on his face. "Yeah, I can totally swing for that. Might be better to get them into some appropriate threads, though I'm not so sure about that one." He pointed at the Klingon. "Might be kind of hard to hide those funny ridges on his head."

Worf straightened at that comment, looking affronted. "My appearance is of little concern to you," he said in a gruff voice.

Picard shook his head as he looked for a teapot. "Be that as it may, Worf, Fred has a point. Your unique features do make you stand out when among a group of humans. It's best to try and find some way to least take away the visual pull they present."

"I could totally lend you one of my beanies," Fred offered, indicating the knitted hat on his head. "I have way more than just this one. I don't usually wear them though."

The Klingon looked towards the mascot with a guarded expression, turning a momentary look towards the Captain as if imploring him to be more serious. "No thank you," he said politely. "I do not wish to hide my proud heritage."

Deanna could feel the tension begin to mount. "No one is asking you to hide your heritage," she tried to sooth. "But it is quite possible your distinct features will bring unwanted attention from others. They won't understand. The captain's right. We need to find a way of at least diverting their attention so we don't get into trouble. I'm sure you'd rather not be taken away by force simply because of some misunderstanding."

"They can try," Worf declared, squaring his shoulders, more than ready to take down any challenge.

GoGo looked mildly impressed by his declaration, nodding in appreciation. "I like you," she declared. "You don't care what society thinks. You do your own thing. But they're still right."

Wasabi looked from one face to the other. "Why not just give him a baseball cap? It's not quite as noticeable as a beanie and would totally fit in." He shrugged when Honey Lemon looked at him with a strange expression. "What? It's more plausible a disguise than anything else, and if anyone asks, we can just say he's an actor."

GoGo nodded in approval. "That could work. We just need a hat big enough to fit his head."

Data watched the exchange with fascination. "A baseball cap would probably prove the least intrusive," he added. "Perhaps it need not be used at all if the locals can be convinced you are some form of performer."

"I will not be anyone's entertainment," Worf protested. "It would be unseemly."

Picard accepted a cup of tea from Heathcliff, sipping at it in appreciation. Now that was a good cup of Earl Grey. "I'm sure we'll all find the customs here are quite different from our own. It's best to try and adapt as we can."

Data listened with strict attention. "I am eager to learn about these customs and try to adapt to them, Captain."

Fred jumped up and down in excitement. "It's settled then! We're going shopping!"


	12. Suit Yourself

Aunt Cass let out a sigh of frustration. Several hours had passed since the incident, though she was no closer to understanding what was going on than she had been when it first occurred. And there was video evidence of it happening, thanks to a film student practicing with his camera in the area.

Things had slowed down at the café. It was more of a lull before the lunch rush, but it allowed her to sit down with her nephew and watch the event on the news. They were treating it as more of a student's prank than anything, but somehow Cass wasn't convinced. "You're sure that's not one of your experiments, or one of your friends?"

Hiro watched the screen like nothing else existed. "Pretty sure," he replied as he watched the replay. So far this was the only incident reported. That could mean it was a singular even, or that it was the only one people had actually said anything about. It wouldn't be the first time such an event had been ignored, simply because this was San Fransokyo and the students at the Institute were prone to doing rather silly things to the public, either on dare or because an experiment went wrong.

"Baymax, can you record that for further analysis?" he requested the healthcare bot, still not looking away from the screen, even though the news anchor had switched to another story, something about a reenactment in some such or other park. That would at least explain the strange man still dozing off in the corner of the café.

Baymax swiveled his head slightly. "I have already done so," he stated, reminding Hiro he was programmed to record all information he came in contact to, with the sudden hint that such information included anything potentially useful to the Big Hero team, and not just for healthcare reasons.

Hiro patted the robot with an absent-minded gesture. "Thanks buddy. I want to analyze that down in the lab. See if I can't come up with any ideas. It would have been so much better if I'd seen it with my own eyes."

Cass shook her head as she smiled, reassured that her nephew had not been the one responsible for the incident. "Don't work too hard," she admonished affectionately as she wiped up the table they'd been sitting at. She had a lunch rush to get ready for, after all.

.................................

"How about this one?" Honey Lemon asked as she held up a blue cotton blouse. It had short sleeves and tassels on the front.

Deanna Troi glanced at the clothing item and shook her head. Part of her wished she had access to her closet back on the Enterprise. But, seeing as that wasn't possible, she hoped to go with something at least similar to what she was used to wearing.

So far they'd found several pairs of nice slacks, mostly in black. The main trouble was finding some kind of top that Deanna felt both comfortable in and that wasn't too flippant in nature. Not really for flaunting, some of the styles present on the racks weren't exactly what she was looking for.

GoGo watched the exchange with folded arms. Her style was fairly easy going, biker shorts under a pair of shorts or similar, a t-shirt, and the customary black leather jacket. Of course, that wouldn't exactly do for their guest. "Why don't you just go for some plain shirts?" she suggested as she moved to one of the racks.

"That is more like it," Deanna commented at the simple design of a shirt the shorter girl held up. It had a V neck cut with three-quarter lengths sleeves. And though it would be a bit form fitting, it wasn't skin tight, which was a plus. And the fabric flowed well. "Does it come in blue?"

It had been some time since the ship's counselor had last done any real shopping, especially for clothes. And, despite her usually modest demeanor, she found she was rather enjoying herself. "I also wouldn't mind something in dark purple or red."

The two locals quickly looked through the options, pulling out several different tops for the counselor to try on. Deanna took their offerings back to the changing room to see how they'd fit.

"I wonder how the others are doing," Honey Lemon said as they waited. "I kind of wish we hadn't split up but I can understand why."

GoGo shook her head. "I know, right? I really wanted to see what they'd find for that Worf guy." She cracked a smile.

....................................

On the other side of the clothing store, on another floor, Data, Worf, and Picard were at the mercy of Wasabi and Fred. Thankfully Hiro wasn't there to give his input or they might have been there all day.

"I still think he should go for a style similar to Tadashi," Wasabi argued as they looked over several different choices, not bothering to consult the men they were trying to help.

Picard gave an incredulous smile. "Gentleman, please," he interrupted. "Why don't you let me be the one to judge? After all, I am a man of greater maturity than either of you."

Fred shrugged. "He has a point. I still back my vote for cargo shorts and t-shirts." He glanced at the rack of pants, possibly thinking about adding some more to his collection.

Seeing the two students were distracted, Picard grabbed up the current offerings and headed towards a sales lady for directions to the nearest changing room. He wasn't about to admit he felt a little out of his element with the different choices. And while the style Wasabi had suggested did have its merits, he still wasn't sure about going around in a somewhat formal jacket over a plain shirt.

Worf looked away from their two hosts, arms folded. "I have already decided on my attire," he announced. He'd managed to find several pairs of black pants that resembled his uniform bottoms. And he'd added in an assortment of button down shirts in solid colors that he didn't consider too offensive.

"And you totally look good in them," Fred agreed, feeling glad they'd decided to go to one of the many department stores in the mall, instead of one of the more formal places his mother might have insisted upon visiting.

Data browsed through one of the racks of shirts nearby until he spotted a clothes dummy dressed in a white undershirt with a button-up shirt over it, wearing long slacks. "I believe I have found a style to my liking," he announced.

Wasabi nodded in appreciation. "Now that I can agree with. Why don't you try on a few different colors and see what works best with your... uh, unique skin coloring."

While Wasabi was busy helping Data, Worf looked around for more potential items of interest, mainly because he was scoping out the area. Picard had ordered him to leave his phaser back at the Manor, safely tucked away in his room. Data had done the same. But that didn't mean he couldn't keep on guard for any potential threats.

After several minutes of Fred just watching the Klingon, they were interrupted by Picard rejoining the party. "I seem to like the style your friend suggested after all," he announced, holding up a less formal jacket and a plain shirt to go with it. "Though I'm not entirely sure about these pants you call jeans."

"No problemo," Fred said, looking at the pants in question. "I mean, if you really wanted to dress in the style, I'd go for something more business-casual anyway. Jeans are overrated if you ask me. Why don't you try those pants over there?" He pointed at a display loaded with pants made from a soft twill fabric. "My dad always likes those kinds of general wear when he's not wearing a suit."

"Ah." Picard looked at the display in question and quickly moved towards it to investigate.

At that moment, Wasabi and Data reappeared from another section of the store with several articles of clothing in hand. "Are you sure you don't want to actually try them on?" Wasabi asked the android.

Data looked slightly perplexed at that, though it was a brief expression. "There is no need for me to try these garments on if they are made to the specifications indicated on the tags," he informed. "My measurements are quite specific and will not change."

Wasabi wasn't sure what to make of that but shrugged it off. "Suit yourself," he said instead. "I'm not the one who'll be stuck wearing them." He turned to look at Fred. "Everybody find something? I'm more than ready to get out of this place. You don't even want to know how disorganized everything is in the dressing rooms."

Realizing Wasabi was getting close to having a neat freak panic attack; Fred looked around for the captain. "I think we're just about ready. You can go find the girls if you like," he offered. "We'll all meet up downstairs by the cash registers in a couple of minutes. Sound good?"

The OCD student was more than willing to take him up on the offer and quickly headed towards the escalators. It wouldn't be too hard to spot Honey Lemon in the crowd. She did stand taller than most women he knew.

...........................................

After more shopping, the gang finally sat down for a meal in the mall's food court. Their rather large party was surrounded with various bags and bundles from different stores, making it more than a little crowded.

Wasabi eyed one bag from a cosmetics shop. "Was it really necessary to buy a whole set of makeup?" Though the man could appreciate the wonders various powders and creams could have on a woman, he hadn't realized just how many one person could use in the process.

Deanna and the girls giggled behind cups of soda. "Wasabi," Deanna admonished with a smile, "while it's true there are a great many different products a woman uses, chances are good you will never really understand how all those products can transform a woman and her morale for the better. Just take my word for it that it helps a great deal."

Fred nodded knowingly at her point, half a French fry sticking out between his lips. "Totally true," he added, sucking the length of potato into his mouth. "My mom always says she never feels complete without her makeup. It acts as both image booster and war paint."

Those comments earned him a few odd looks from all males in the party. But he merely shrugged it off. "What? It's the truth."

"Just be glad you didn't come with us into the lady store," GoGo teased. "I'm not sure your poor eyes could have handled it."

Honey Lemon shook her head in amusement as she reached for her sandwich. She wanted to stop that train right there and then. "I kind of wish we'd asked Hiro to come along," she admitted. "He could have used a day out."

Wasabi resisted the urge to squirm in his seat. He hadn't told them their leader hadn't been in the room when he got up. Nor had Baymax for that matter. He had no idea where the duo had gone, but had decided to cover for the youth. "Hiro needed his sleep," he defended, feeling more than a little uncomfortable at the lie. "Yesterday took a lot out of him."

"I hope he's okay," Honey Lemon worried. "We should have at least checked in on him before we left."

Fred waved an errant hand as he popped another fry. "Nah. He's old enough to take care of himself. If he wakes up hungry, Heathcliff will take care of him. Besides, we all saw how tired he was last night."

Deanna exchanged a glance with Picard. She sensed Wasabi wasn't being entirely truthful, though she wasn't sure why. Maybe he didn't know himself. But it left a rather sour note in an otherwise nice outing. And the fact that the others seemed to be enjoying themselves for once in a long while, even Worf, had been a nice change.

"Still," Picard said, picking up a little on Deanna's unease, "it might have been a good idea to at least give him the option of joining us. He is your leader."

But Wasabi shook his head. "Trust me. When Hiro doesn't get enough sleep he gets really cranky. I'd rather not deal with that, if you know what I mean."

Fred nodded in agreement, his expression taking on a somewhat worried expression. "I know, right? I remember only a few weeks back when one of us accidentally woke him in the middle of the night in his lab. It wasn't very pretty."

GoGo rolled her eyes as she sucked her soda dry. "It doesn't matter now, does it?" she asked. "I mean, we're all here and he's obviously not. He'll either figure it out, get lost in a project, or call one of us to find out where we are. It's that simple."

Data looked suitably impressed with that logic. It was, by no means, outside the norms he'd observed so far. That and it was fascinating to watch the interactions of everyone at the table and how they reacted. Even Worf, who remained aloof as usual, seemed to be enjoying the Philly cheese steak sandwich they'd ordered for him.

"It is better to let a warrior have his rest than to test his temper," Worf commented between bites of his sandwich. It wasn't Klingon food, but that didn't mean tasted bad either.

Picard nodded, feeling contented with his basket of fish and chips, or at least what they called fish and chips. "Very wise," he agreed. "We will have to catch up with him later. For now, I'm very curious about this video arcade I saw advertised."

After that comment, the conversation took a completely different turn, with Fred describing the different games since he'd played them all. And with a somewhat captive audience, he felt more than confident he was entertaining them in the best way possible.

Wasabi breathed a silent sigh of relief to have the conversation directed away from Hiro, though he caught Trio giving him a rather odd look out of the corner of his eye.


	13. Don't See The Point

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, quick note, I'm going to go ahead and make these chapters longer. As such, I"m updating this chapter with more content. It seems to make more sense with the flow of things for me to do so, though they will decidedly vary in length. Just wanted to let you know, in case you were wondering why the sudden change from short to longer chapters.

Hiro ground his teeth in frustration as he growled. "This doesn't make any sense!" He threw his hands up in the air, making his swivel chair spin.

Several hours had passed since he and Baymax had left Fred's place and they were no closer to understanding what one person had seen from the café window than they had been when he'd first gotten the call. One person and some student who'd filmed it, he corrected himself. He'd played the video more than a dozen times in his little garage lab, but nothing had come of it. The truth of the matter was the student hadn't used the right kind of camera to capture what he most wanted to measure.

"You appear to be distressed. Might I suggest taking calming breaths?" Baymax observed as he watched the teen.

Hiro growled in frustration as he let himself flop back against the armrests. "Not helping," he admonished. "If I don't figure this whole thing out, I'm going to lose my mind!"

The robot shuffled closer, peering at the paused image on the computer monitor. "Perhaps it is someone's idea of a joke," he suggested.

But Hiro shook his head. "I already thought of that. Holographic projection was one of my first theories. But it can't be. The video clearly shows someone bumping into the jogger thirty seconds before he disappeared. You can't tell me someone's managed to make a holographic projection that good. There's just no way."

The teen ran his fingers through his wild hair, resisting the urge to pull out a few handfuls while he was at it. "No, Baymax. I'm missing something. I just can't figure out what."

At that moment, Baymax straightened, one finger in the air like an antennae. "I am detecting a high concentration of energy two blocks from our current location." He blinked. "One sign of life has materialized."

"What!" Hiro all but leaped from his chair. He ran for his hoodie, calling for Baymax to follow. "Let's go! Maybe it's that jogger!"

Baymax followed behind the excited boy, though at a much slower pace.

.................................................

The video arcade was just as loud and chaotic as Worf had feared. Teens of all ages, and some older, lounged around, shouting at the screens in front of them. He stood with arms folded as he scowled at the game Data was playing. It was something that involved a vehicle with pedals and a steering wheel.

"I do not see the point of this game," the Klingon growled to his nearest companion, which happened to be Fred.

Fred leaned against the railing, something the owner had set up to keep spectators from disturbing the players. "The point," Fred educated, "is to drive your car faster than anyone else on the track. You want to beat them across the finish line to win. But all the other cars want the same thing so they'll try to knock you off the road. It takes skill to beat it."

The android stared intently at the screen in front of him as he manipulated the controls, spinning the wheel to knock one of the computer-generated opponents off the track. Despite the game being on the hardest setting, he was slowly making a comeback on his real opponent, GoGo. "I quite agree," he said in response to Fred's comment. "This appears to be a game of reflexes and timing."

GoGo floored the pedal of her controls, zooming past various obstacles as her avatar rounded the far end of the track. She was totally in her element, leaving Fred to wonder if she hadn't learned her driving skills playing this game, because she was good at it. Then again, GoGo always liked speed and seemed to know what she was doing on the real road too. It was just too bad Wasabi wouldn't allow her to drive his van anymore. The last time had totally rocked.

"Yes!" Data exclaimed using a controlled voice as he made another virtual car spin off the track. He quickly navigated around an oil slick, catching up with GoGo's vehicle.

The two were neck and neck, with GoGo making quick glances over at the android as she tried to push his car off the path and into a mud pit. But Data had figured out how to work the game and he wasn't about to let up. He pushed back just as hard. In a sudden last minute tactic, he managed to clip her car, sending her avatar careening off screen.

The finishing line flashed across the giant monitor and Data's car sped across it. Words scrolled across the screen, declaring the winner as virtual confetti flew all over the imaginary scene.

Data had an almost smirk on his face as he watched his avatar be presented with a trophy. It wasn't that he was gloating, but it was nice to actually go up against someone who had given him a run for his money. His expression quickly changed to a more neutral one as he turned to his opponent. "Would you like to go again?"

GoGo shook her head. She managed to slide her usual disinterested expression in place just in time. "Nah," she said. "Let's go see what the others are doing." She swung out of the seat, stretching from sitting so long. "I'll give you one point," she said, glancing at Data, "you're good."

Data gave her a quizzical look. "I was merely calculating how best to win given—"

Worf let out a rather odd sound. "Just take the compliment," he admonished, not wishing to hear the android's methodical analysis of how he'd won the game.

"Ah," Data said, understanding kicking in. "I see your point. How about we see what Counselor Troi and Honey Lemon are doing?"

They moved to another part of the game room where Honey Lemon had challenged Deanna to a game of Dance Off, where two players competed with moves presented by the game using a metal dance plate to determine who would be the winner.

Honey Lemon was going to town on her dance platform. Her high-heeled shoes flew across the raised squares, hardly missing a beat. She had an almost manic grin on her face as she moved her body to the rhythm of the song, following all the required moves like a pro. GoGo hadn't seen her that animated in a while.

Deanna, on the other hand, was struggling on the basic level. She kept hitting the wrong markers as she held on to the railing in front of her with her good side. She'd always considered herself fit but this was something else entirely.

Finally, the song came to an end. GoGo gave a slow clap. "Not bad, considering you went up against the woman with the reigning high score."

Honey Lemon smiled modestly at that. "I used to come here a lot with Tadashi," she admitted. "He's the one who introduced me to the game. He said he could never convince Hiro to play and needed someone to go up against." A slight hint of pink filtered up into her cheeks as she spoke.

Troi felt a wave of wistful sadness wash over the long-haired girl. Obviously Tadashi had been someone important to her as well, perhaps more so than to the others she'd observed so far. "I'll keep that in mind," she said, catching her breath after the unexpectedly intense exercise. The headache from before felt like it might come back.

"Does anyone know where the Captain went?" Worf asked as he looked around. He couldn't immediately spot Picard or Wasabi from his vantage.

Climbing down from the small platform, Honey readjusted her glasses. "I think they were over by the Skeet Ball machines."

Worf seemed confused by the term as his frown deepened. "Skeet Ball?"

GoGo shook her head, amused at the idea that someone didn't know what it was. "Skeet Ball is kind of like bowling, only instead of trying to hit pins at the end of a lane, you try to get your ball into different holes. The harder the holes are to hit, the higher the points."

"Bowling?" Worf looked even more confused.

But Data came to the rescue. "Bowling is a classic Earth game that first appeared in Ancient Egypt, but didn't come into popularity until the nineteenth century. Considered one of the major throwing games, the object of the game is to knock down one of several pins at the end of a lane with a weighted ball. Knocking down all pins on the first turn is called a Strike, while knocking down only partial-" He didn't get the chance to finish, however, as Worf gave him a rather disgruntled look, which caused the android to close his mouth.

Fred smiled in mild amusement. "Best way to find out what it is would be go check it out," he reasoned. "Come on. I know the quickest way back to them."

................................................

By the time Hiro and Baymax ran the two blocks to the location of the disturbance, it had stopped. But Hiro noticed a jogger running out of the alley, looking a bit confused. He thought the man was wearing the same clothes as the jogger who'd disappeared several hours ago but couldn't be entirely sure. He'd have to go over the footage from Baymax's memory again later. Right now he wanted to explore the area, hoping for some kind of clues.

"You getting anything, buddy?" Hiro asked as he looked around. Part of him wished he had his armor handy. It would make things feel a bit more official, instead of like he was some kid trying to find a UFO because someone said "boo". It was rather disconcerting. That and if Baymax were in armor, he could fly from place to place instead of walking. It definitely would have been much faster.

Baymax slowly scanned the area, just to be safe. "I can no longer detect any energy readings above the normal activity," he reported.

The teen let out a sigh of frustration, resisting the urge to hit the brick wall nearest him. He'd probably only hurt himself and knew Baymax wouldn't like that. Not that he would either but it was still tempting. For the briefest of moments, he thought about checking in with the others but decided against it. Wasabi knew he was gone, and if he'd felt a need to let him know what they were up to he'd have called by now. But his phone had remained silent.

Just to be safe, Hiro pulled out his cell, making sure he hadn't accidentally put it on silent. He hadn't. And the call logs didn't indicate any other calls besides the one his aunt had made that morning. But with the device out, he debated once more upon seeing what the others were doing. Chances were good they were entertaining their guests, but how?

The healthcare robot watched Hiro closely, trying to determine what might be going through his head, but had little success. Hiro was as unpredictable as usual. "Perhaps it would be wise to contact the others," he suggested. "They may have some ideas as to what is going on."

"Maybe," Hiro admitted. As usual, Baymax made a good point. "But I'd like to walk around a little more before I do that, just in case. Besides, I need some time to clear my head after everything that's happened."

Baymax blinked at that but didn't comment. Instead, he moved into step with his young charge as Hiro headed out of the alley they'd entered. From there, they moved down the street, heading more in the direction of Fred's place than back towards the café.

"There's got to be something going on," Hiro mused out loud. "I'm sure that was the same jogger who went missing." But if it was, the man was long gone by now. Either he'd end up on the news again, or he'd bypass the publicity altogether and call it good. Not everyone liked the lime light, as Hiro was well aware. Even in the suit, he didn't like people gawking at him, though it did give him a layer of protection he couldn't help but appreciate.

Since they weren't walking the more major streets, Baymax kept a close eye on the individual life signs he sensed in the area. It was not unheard of for someone to come out of the woodwork with the intention of causing bodily harm to unsuspecting individuals. And the robot knew that right now Hiro was less likely to pay attention to his surroundings. He paused when he sensed a rather unusual reading coming from the next alley down.

It took Hiro a moment to realize Baymax had stopped. He took a few steps past the robot before coming to a halt. But when he looked back, he realized the robot was intent on something. "What is it, buddy?" He peered in the direction Baymax seemed to be staring but couldn't see anything.

"I am detecting something unusual coming from that direction," Baymax announced.

..................................................

Back at the arcade, the group followed Fred through the labyrinth of games. They had to sidestep around various players and other patrons as they went. Finally, Fred stopped near the back of the hall, spreading his arms wide. "Tadah! Told you I knew the fastest way back here."

Picard and Wasabi had their backs turned to the crowd. Each held a baseball-sized ball in one hand, which they tossed to roll up an incline. Near the top, the ball flew over a hump and towards one of several goals. Some goals were decidedly harder to reach than others.

Wasabi took careful aim as he rolled his ball with the precision of a brain surgeon. The orb moved up the slope and sailed over the hump to land in the 50pt hole. "Now that's how you do it," he said with a satisfied grin.

"Not bad," Picard agreed as he readied for his next throw. "I can see you've had practice." The captain lobbed his ball up the incline. It flew over the dividing hump and sailed cleanly into the 100pt hole. "It would seem that I'm catching the knack for this game."

Honey Lemon couldn't resist letting out a round of applause for that move. "That was amazing! Not even Wasabi's managed to reach that goal yet!"

The physicist gave her a reproving look. "I have a system," he explained. "It's no fun if you reach the end goal too soon."

"I don't know about you guys, but I think it's time we were heading back," Fred piped up as he checked his watch. "Hiro may be awake now and we don't want to make him worry too much. Besides, we still need to sit down and talk about all that's happened."

Data nodded. "I agree. We should look at all our options and decide on the best course of action. This location does not seem like the ideal place if we are to maintain our privacy."

GoGo shrugged. "I was hoping to hit the rink next, but guess that'll have to wait until time."

The others agreed so Fred went to call Heathcliff for a ride back. After all, there was still no way they'd all fit in Wasabi's van, especially not with all their shopping in tow.

.................................................

Hiro neared the corner of the alley with caution. After Baymax had informed him he'd detected some rather unusual readings, he felt caution was more than warranted. He warily moved towards the area in question and peered around the brickwork. Nothing.

"Are you sure about those readings?" Hiro asked as he looked back at his companion. "There's nothing there. Not even a dumpster."

Baymax moved to look as well. He blinked in confusion. "I am certain I detected a life form in this area," he informed. "Perhaps my scanner has become faulty."

The boy gave him a pat on the arm. "It's okay, buddy. We all make mistakes. We'll just have to make sure it's not something to worry about."

The robot straightened. "I will perform a self-diagnostic now," he stated. He remained still for about thirty seconds before moving again to look down at Hiro. "Diagnostic complete. I did not detect any malfunctions."

"Let's get back to base just to be safe," Hiro advised. "We can run a full diagnostic there."

Baymax swung back into motion. "I believe that would be advisable." He led the way back out of the alley and onto the path to Fred's place.

They'd just rounded another corner when a man seemed to literally come out of the brickwork. He stumbled to the ground as if exhausted or injured. Seeing the two companions, he all but fell at their feet. "Help me," he gasped before losing consciousness.

There was something vaguely familiar about the man, though Hiro couldn't immediately place what. It took him a moment to realize the unconscious man was wearing the same kind of clothes as the others they'd rescued the night before. "Baymax!"

The robot scanned the man. "I do not detect any injuries," he announced. "However, he appears to carry residual traces of the same energy I detected earlier."

"What?" Hiro couldn't help but stare at the man on the ground, his eyes rising to look at his companion in disbelief. "We need to take him back with us. Maybe the others we rescued know who he is. He isn't an alien, is he?"

Baymax moved to pick up his new patient. "All scans indicate human DNA," he replied.

At least that would make some things easier, Hiro thought. "Come on. Let's go before something else happens."


	14. Don't Like the Sound of That

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Quick note, I added more content to the previous chapter. If you haven't read the updated version, please do so now so as not to miss anything.)

"Hiro? Hiro, you here?" Fred called out as he peeked into the movie room back at the manor. Sometimes their leader liked to chill out there when he wasn't doing something in the command center.

Upon arriving back at the manor, Wasabi had headed straight to the room he shared with Hiro, hoping he'd come back. But he hadn't. The teen's continued absence started a manor-wide search for him, just in case. He wasn't answering his phone, which was a bit worrisome.

The group of Heroes was about to head out on a massive manhunt when the front door opened and Hiro walked in, Baymax behind him.

"Where have you been?!" Wasabi demanded, getting in Hiro's face before anyone else could so much as react. "I had to cover for you when the others got up," he added between his teeth, speaking in a much quieter tone.

Baymax moved past the irate student, still carrying the unconscious man they'd found. "Please excuse me," he said as GoGo and Fred just stared.

Honey Lemon looked on in surprise. "Hiro? Who is that man Baymax is carrying?"

At that moment, Picard and his group entered the foyer. Seeing the person in the robot's arms, Picard almost had a mild heart attack. "Where on earth did you find that man?" he demanded, covering himself as best he could.

Hiro glanced at the captain, not sure how to take that tone. It was less than friendly. "We found him in an alley near my aunt's café," he answered. "I take it you know him?"

"He calls himself Q," Worf spoke up before Picard could answer. He also looked less than pleased with the man's presence. "He is the reason we are stuck here."

The Big Heroes exchanged confused looks with each other, all except for Baymax who continued on towards a little room off to one side. It was the same room Ms. Smith and the Doctor had used when they'd first come visiting some months ago. Still in a bit of shock, the others followed after the healthcare robot.

Hiro stood to one side as the robot placed the man on a sofa. He folded his arms and looked from Picard to Trio to Worf and then to Data. "Okay," he said, his voice taking on the tone of a leader. "It looks like we have a bit of a problem here. And I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to know what is really going on." He focused his attention on Picard. "So why don't you tell us just what is going on and cut out all the bull."

Even Wasabi looked a little shocked when he glanced at Hiro's far too serious face. This was not a side of his friend he saw often, nor did he want to. The last time he'd seen it had resulted in the teen almost getting himself killed.

Picard had chosen to stand, despite the rest of his officers following the example of the rest of the people in the room, minus Hiro and Baymax. While he saw the logic in Hiro's request, part of him felt less than willing, given not only the boy's age but the Prime Directive. But that also seemed to be thrown out the window, in a way, since the people of this planet already appeared to know about life on other planets, and had apparently also encountered it.

Hiro's words had shocked Picard and he couldn't help but feel a sense of surprise. The boy held a larger sense of authority than many men three times his age. It deserved a certain sort of respect, as well as a sense of caution. It would be easy to forget that this child was not yet a man and still swayed by the whimsy of childhood. "Very well," he sighed, making his body relax.

"Captain, are you sure this is wise?" Worf spoke up from his seat. He'd chosen a hard-backed chair that made him sit up straight.

Picard looked over to his security chief. He felt certain he knew what was going on in his mind. "Sure? No. But we are at their mercy if we ever want to return home. I somehow doubt Q," and he looked a bit disdainfully at the unconscious man, "will be as accommodating."

"You really don't like him, do you?" Honey Lemon asked, a frown on her face. "What did he do that made you dislike him so much? Isn't he a part of your team?"

Deanna reached a hand over to Honey Lemon, who she happened to be sitting next to. "No," she confirmed. "He's not. He's an alien entity from a vastly powerful species."

Baymax perked up at that. "I did not detect any indication of this," he said. "My scans indicate he is human."

The Captain shook his head. "Not possible. While Q sometimes masquerades as human, he's as far from it as anyone can get." Realizing he needed to give them a bit of background, he found a vacant chair and sat down, trying to figure out the best way to explain things. "Q is part of a society that calls itself the Continuum. We first encountered him many years ago when my ship, the Enterprise, took on its first voyage."

"You mean like a star ship, right?" Fred spoke up, his expression showing rapt attention and excitement.

Picard couldn't help but smile at that. He remembered what Troi had told him about this young man and his enthusiasm for the unknown. "Yes, a star ship," he confirmed. "We ran into Q as we went to pick up the other members of our crew on our maiden voyage. He stopped us halfway there and tried to condemn humanity as a whole, using us as his example for our society's many crimes."

Wasabi looked a bit taken aback by that. "Say what now? Humanity's many crimes?"

"That is to say our history of violence and bloodshed, wars and the way we've treated different cultures and species since the dawn of time," Picard tried to explain. "It was up to us to prove that humanity had evolved beyond the arcane and base nature we once shared. Thankfully, we were able to pass his little test."

GoGo popped her gum as she listened, a bored expression on her face. "So he judged you for humanity. How does that make him such a tough guy?"

"Q is from a race of great power," Data inserted. "His abilities seem far reaching and limitless. He is able to transport individuals from one place to another in the blink of an eye. He is also able to create realities out of nothing, transport people through time and space on a whim."

Fred's expression turned a bit more serious as he looked towards Hiro. "Sounds a bit like the Doctor if you ask me. I mean time and space? Isn't that the Doctor's calling card?"

But Hiro waved him aside, realizing there were some decided fundamental differences. "So what's the problem?"

Picard inhaled, then let out his breath in a rush. "Q has taken a fancy to my crew and continually interferes with our missions. We are toys to him, in a grand game only he can understand. When he is near, we are completely at his mercy. Should he choose, he could wipe out all existence on this planet with a wave of his hand."

"I don't like the sound of that," Honey Lemon confessed, looking more than a little worriedly at the man in question. He looked so innocent lying there, asleep and helpless.

The captain adjusted his position to try and sit more comfortably. "Several days ago, I went down to a deserted plan with my three crew members here to investigate some ruins. Archeology is a hobby of mine and I was in need of some relaxation. While we were there, we encountered significant seismic activity that required us to seek shelter. Unfortunately, we were trapped inside a system of caves. Our ship was unable to rescue us. Then Q came along. With little choice, we accepted his help. And the rest, as they say, is history."

It was Wasabi's turn to glare at Q. He didn't like the sound of him at all. "What are we waiting for? We should tie him up or something. Someone that powerful shouldn't be allowed to run free."

"That wouldn't work," Deanna spoke up, feeling in complete agreement with the emotions washing over her from the others. "He could free himself in an instant." There was only one person she was having a hard time reading and she couldn't help but wonder at that.

Feeling the intensity of the counselor's stare, Hiro looked up. "We're not tying anyone up," he stated. "We're not the police."

Wasabi got to his feet, arms waving with the intensity of his emotions. "We have to do something to keep him in check! If what these guys have said is true, we could be in some serious danger here."

Deanna sensed an argument brewing and moved to sway it. "There is some hope that we might not see Q in all his power." She turned towards the captain. "Remember when he showed up on the bridge that one time, naked?" She glanced around the room, taking in the Big Hero's reactions. "He was being punished by those in the Continuum and had his powers stripped from him. Perhaps that is the case now. It would certainly explain why he's unconscious."

Before Picard or any of the other Enterprise crew could answer, the man on the sofa groaned. All eyes turned towards the new visitor as he stirred.

With some effort, Q moved to a sitting position and looked around. "Mon Capitaine!" he exclaimed upon seeing Picard. "You survived! And the rest of your crew as well! I was hoping you would!"

Worf gave a low growl. "No thanks to you."

"No thanks to-!" Q put a hand to his heart, his expression one of confusion and mock pain. "That hurts. You know I was only trying to help. It's not my fault if the anomaly got in the way." He looked over the group again, his expression lightening. "And it looks like you've managed to make some new friends! Excellent!"

Fred couldn't help but stare. This man was unlike any he'd ever met, and he'd met some odd ones before. "Is this guy bipolar or something?" he asked as he indicated Q with a pointed thumb.

Q stood at that comment, looking Fred up and down. "And who, sir, would you be?"

But before Fred could answer, Picard stood to intercept him. "Q, now that you're here, why don't you focus on returning us to our ship?"

The alien was all smiles as he turned to Picard. "But of course, Mon Capitaine! I would be happy to oblige!" He raised one hand into the air and snapped his fingers. Nothing happened.

Q's expression changed to a frown that was almost a pout. He tried snapping again with the same result. "I don't understand. Why isn't it working?" He snapped his fingers with growing rapidity and frustration.

"Perhaps the Continuum has taken away your power yet again," Worf answered dryly.

That comment earned him a disapproving look from Q. "They wouldn't dare take the power of the Q away from me a second time. If they did, I would cease to be Q and therefore be…" He slowly returned to a sitting position, looking a little pale. "No! It can't be. You didn't!" he yelled up at the ceiling as he shook a fist. "You can't leave me as a human again! You know I can't live like this! It's not fair!"

Data and Deanna exchanged glances while the Big Heroes looked on with confusion. The situation had decidedly taken a rather odd turn and they weren't sure what to make of it.

"Q!" Picard barked. "Calm down! This childish behavior won't help anyone."

At the captain's words, Q turned to Picard with an incredulous look on his face. "Childish behavior? Oh that's rich, coming from an underdeveloped society of non-powerful entities like yourself! You know I can't survive as a human!"

"Enough!" Hiro yelled so loud even GoGo jumped. "That. Is. Enough! Both of you!"

Both the captain and Q looked at Hiro like he'd somehow grown a set of horns, or maybe a third eye. Either way, it was obvious that he now had their undivided attention.

"Fighting isn't going to solve the problem," Hiro continued in a more normal, yet authoritative voice. "It's clear from listening to both sides that without Q's powers you won't be getting home any time soon, either of you. We have to find a way to fix that or go around it. But arguing isn't going to make that happen. So let's all just calm down and be the rational adults I know we're all capable of being."

Q put a hand to his chest in a mocking manner. "Are you insinuating that I'm acting like a child when you're still one yourself? Now that is entertaining. Please do go on with your ideas on how to resolve this situation."

Hiro counted to ten in his head. He felt for sure his ears were turning red under his mop of hair, though he didn't want to find a mirror to check on that. "I didn't say I had an answer," he responded evenly. "What I said is that we need to sit down and discuss this in a civilized manner."

Picard gave Q a disapproving look. "Though boy he may appear, it would seem there is much more to him than meets the eye. That and he is the leader of this crew. At the very least, let us hear what he has to say."

"This sad excuse for a child is their leader?" Q looked at Hiro with incredulous disbelief.

"Girls, girls," GoGo spoke up for the first time since the conversation had really started. She had her arms folded across her chest as she popped her gum, a look of disapproval on her face. "You're both pretty so just chill."

Fred shook his head, going for a more neutral approach. "I never thought I'd see the day when Hiro actually told off a couple of adults for being just as childish as he usually is. What?" he shrugged when Hiro gave him a rather scathing look. "It's the truth. I mean, I knew you had it in you, but to actually see it? It boggles the mind!"

"I am detecting elevated blood pressure in all individuals present," Baymax announced, reminding them all of the healthcare robot's presence.

Data glanced at Baymax with a hint of appreciation. "I believe your robot is trying to tell us that we all need to calm down and discuss matters in a more appropriate manner."

Hiro slowly inhaled once more, and then let his breath out. "Baymax is merely stating the facts," he answered. "But the point remains. We need more information before anything can be decided. So let's go over what we already know."

Wasabi pointed at Q. "This guy is supposed to be some all-powerful being but isn't. He's the reason Picard and his crew are here."

Q was about to protest but Hiro gave him a rather glaring look that silenced him. The man folded his arms in imitation of a surly schoolboy.

"Don't forget he said there was some kind of anomaly that interfered," Honey Lemon spoke up.

GoGo nodded at that point. "And there was that weird wave of energy last night."

Fred glanced at all the people in the room. "I know it may not have seemed like I was paying attention last night, but I did hear these guys say something about a possible alternate universe or something. What if, and hear me out on this, what if these guys really are from an alternate universe. And what if this Q guy didn't actually get his powers taken away? What if being in an alternate universe somehow messed with them instead?"

Picard glanced at Data, who contemplated the suggestion. "Theoretically, that is possible," the android stated. "If Q's abilities defy the logic of this alternate universe, it is possible some force has removed those powers to balance out the universal equation."

Deanna cradled her arm as she thought about it. "While that may be true, it doesn't help us figure out how to solve our immediate problem. How do we return to the Enterprise, our Enterprise, without them?"

Q cleared his throat. "Aren't you forgetting something of monumental importance? Me!" He frowned as all eyes turned to him with varying degrees of disdain. "Think of it this way. Without me, we're all stuck here."

"But you currently lack the ability to remedy that," Worf reminded.

Q gave him a rather displeased look. "And believe me when I say I want that changed more than any of you present. Why, without my powers, I'm just as helpless and pathetic as you lot. And believe you me, I want to change that as quickly as possible. You all remember how things went last time."

The Klingon almost launched himself at Q but stopped at a look from Picard. The captain glanced at all of his officers in order. "Our hosts are right," he admonished. "This is getting us nowhere. The unfortunate truth has already been established. Hiro is right. We need more information before we can decide on any course of action. So we should look into gathering what information we can."

Honey Lemon pushed her glasses up her nose. She was suddenly reminded of a somewhat similar situation back when they'd first formed their group.

We want to help, but we're just us.

No, you can be so much more.

Creating the Big Heroes had seemed like a daunting, and rather impossible task, but they'd done it. Under Hiro's guidance, they'd created all their gadgets and faced off with various villains. They just needed to treat this situation in the same manner.

"Maybe we just need to find a new angle," Honey suggested. "It's what Tadashi would suggest." She flashed Hiro a somewhat apologetic smile.

Hiro knew Honey was right as he nodded. "The best thing to do right now is join forces to figure out what's going on. If we split into teams, someone from each group pared up with each other, we might be able to gain some better insights into this whole matter."

Wasabi moved to stand near Q. "I volunteer to pair up with this guy so I can keep an eye on him." He glared at the man. If anyone was going to do anything to hurt any member of his team, this was the one most likely to do it.

"I request to join your team," Worf stated. "For the same reason." He gave Q a stern look.

Troi glanced around, her gaze stopping at Hiro, remembering what the captain had requested of her the night before. "With your permission, I'd like to team up with you," she said.

Hiro glanced at Baymax. "You okay with that, buddy?"

Baymax blinked, and then turned his head to look at the counselor. "I find this arrangement to be satisfactory," he replied. "I would prefer to keep Deanna Troi in my care until she has fully recovered from her injuries."

Picard looked questioningly at Hiro. "You make it sound as though you're an inseparable pair."

"Where I go, Baymax goes," Hiro confirmed.

Data stood and moved towards GoGo and Honey Lemon. "Captain, I believe I may be of most use if partnered with Honey Lemon and GoGo, though I would like to learn more about this healthcare robot at some later date."

The captain waved a hand. "That's fine by me, Mr. Data. Perhaps young Hiro will allow you and his robot to trade information later on."

"I would like that," Data confirmed.

Hiro looked pointedly at the school mascot. "Fred, why don't you join Wasabi's group? That way you can keep each other out of trouble." He thought the tense looking group needed someone to help soothe things over, a skill Fred excelled at.

Fred bounced over to his assigned team. "Roger that!" he called out with a mock salute.

Q pouted. "Why do I get stuck with an all male group? That's no fun."

"You do not get a choice," Worf informed him with a scowl.

Deanna moved to stand by Hiro, though her attention focused on Picard. "Which group will you join, Captain?"

Picard looked from group to group. Two of the teams only had three people, but he felt inserting himself in Hiro's team wouldn't be wise. Two leaders often had conflicting views and that was the last thing they needed. That and this was Hiro's planet, not his. "I'll join Mr. Data and his group," he decided.

Hiro glanced at his watch. "It's three in the afternoon now so there's still some time left today. I suggest we separate into our respective teams and discuss our options, then come back together before dinner to share them. Everyone okay with that?"

The teen looked around to see several nods, getting more verbal agreement than gestural. "Good. Then let's break up into our groups and go from there."


	15. Find Hiro

All things considered, things had gone well so far, Hiro decided as he led Baymax and Deanna Troi towards the theater room. It was his favorite room in the entire house, minus command central. He'd spent countless hours there over the last year, mostly trying to unwind. But now he went there with a different purpose.

The oversized recliners were a welcoming sight but Hiro bypassed them for the giant bean bag at the back of the room. It was large enough to accommodate all of his friends, minus Baymax. The robot had a hard time with the ever-changing surface.

Hiro threw himself back against the soft leather of the over-sized bag, letting out a sound of contentment. He could easily fall asleep at that moment but knew there was work to be done. "Have a seat," he offered the counselor.

Deanna was more reserved in her choice of seating, preferring to sit near the edge of the bean bag. She smiled a bit seeing this more child-like side of Hiro. Without the pressures of two competing parties to deal with, the boy had decidedly relaxed. It was the first time he'd allowed himself to do so in her presence.

"Looks like you've had a full day already," she commented with a hint of amusement as she settled her sling to set more comfortably. It was one of the many things they'd picked up while out and about. She'd already returned the bandana she'd been using earlier.

Hiro indulged in a brief moment of silence. "I've had worse," he replied. "Not that we're here to talk about that," he added quickly as he sat up. "But it's already been, as you say, a full day. I've actually been up since about seven this morning."

Deanna frowned at that. "I thought Wasabi said you were still asleep when we went out." She gave him a slightly questioning look.

The teen seemed to close up inside, making it hard for her to read him. "I didn't ask him to cover for me," he defended. "He was still asleep when I left."

Baymax shuffled as close to the bean bag as he could. "Perhaps you should explain to the counselor what we learned this morning," he suggested. "It may be related to recent events."

Hiro nodded, realizing his companion was right. "Maybe." He slid closer to the edge of the leather seat, moving towards Deanna. "My aunt called early this morning wondering if I'd been working on anything new. The answer, of course, is no, I haven't. I've been too busy playing catch-up to start any new projects. Anyway, I had to investigate what was going, if for no other reason than to clear my name. I admit I've pulled a few stunts in my life that I'm not exactly proud of."

Troi shifted to face him more fully, smiling a bit in amusement at this admission. "So you left the rest of your team behind while you went out to check into this matter on your own."

Looking more chagrined, Hiro nodded. "Yeah. I mean I didn't go alone. I had Baymax with me. Right, buddy?"

Baymax nodded. "I did not leave his side the entire time."

"Honestly, I'd be hard pressed to go _anywhere_ without him," Hiro confessed. "Which fine by me. He even follows me to school."

The counselor felt a bit better about the situation with that announcement. Even on the Enterprise, children under the age of sixteen were not left unsupervised. And even if an adult wasn't immediately present, the computer always knew where to find them.

"I know what you're thinking," Hiro spoke up, breaking into her thoughts.

A bit confused, Deanna couldn't help but look up sharply. "You do?" She didn't think he had any telepathic abilities, though it was always a possibility.

"You're thinking I'm too young to be off on my own. Most people do," Hiro announced. "But I've been doing stuff on my own for years now. You see, both of my parents died when I was three. Up until about a year and a half ago, it was just me, my brother, and Aunt Cass, though she's usually busy with the café."

Hiro's nonchalant tone didn't fool Trio. "So what you're saying is you've basically been on your own for the past few years." It was not a question. Nor did she need the ability to read his thoughts to guess at his thoughts, even if her abilities had allowed her.

Hiro shrugged. "Well, yeah. I mean it wasn't like I was entirely on my own. Aunt Cass and Tadashi were there when I needed them. But they were also both busy a lot too so yeah, I guess I did spent a lot of time on my own."

"Did you have any friends?" Deanna probed. Strictly speaking, this had little to do with their real investigation, but it definitely helped her understand him better.

He let himself sink back into the cushioning. "Until I met the gang, no. I'm not exactly the most social of creatures, if you haven't noticed. I guess you could say I was different from everyone else. I was smarter and socially awkward. Those two don't exactly make for the best circumstances for finding like-minded people, if you know what I mean. But I had my brother and that's all I ever really needed."

It was hard to ignore the flood of loneliness that swelled over her but Deanna tried. This boy had clearly had more than his fair share of hardship. "So what did your aunt want this morning?" she asked, bringing them back to the original topic.

Hiro glanced at Baymax. "Might as well just show her," he shrugged, causing the woman a moment of confusion.

Baymax changed posture, thrusting his stomach out a little more than usual as his arms moved back a bit. His internal projector activated, playing the news footage from that morning.

"As you can see," Hiro said as he moved to point at the robot's belly, "there was an incident this morning. A man disappeared without a trace. He later reappeared in an alley near my aunt's café. And by later, I mean several hours later."

The images on Baymax's stomach changed to show the confused jogger running out of the alley. "I regret I was unable to record his reappearance," he apologized. "However, I did detect a spike in energy readings before he left the alley."

Hiro turned back to the counselor. "The same thing happened when we found Q. Only he literally fell out of a solid wall. We're not sure yet what caused this or why, or if it's even related. Anything's possible."

Deanna pursed her lips as she watched Baymax's footage of Q's emerging from the wall. "Those are all things Q can normally do," she mused.

"The only other possibilities I can come up with are that someone's found some alien tech and is messing around with it, or," and here Hiro paused as if he didn't want to admit to it. "Or it's something to do with Ley Lines." He and Fred had once had a very heated discussion about their existence, which went on long enough to convince Hiro of the possibility of their existence. "Some of my team might argue for that possibility."

Troi seemed momentarily confused by that. "Ley Lines? If you're talking about the concept of mythical energy lines surrounding a planet, there's no scientific proof of their existence."

Hiro shrugged. "What else could it be? They're supposed to saturate San Fransokyo. Stranger things have happened." He had her and he knew it. Part of him wondered if this was how Fred felt when one of his theories actually panned out.

"Let's focus on the possibility of alien technology first," Deanna suggested. "I somehow thing that's the more likely explanation."

....................................

Wasabi couldn't help but keep glancing back at Q as he walked ahead of the man. With Worf taking up the rear, there shouldn't be a problem, but Wasabi was a cautious man. He'd had too many close encounters to not be. at least the Klingon looked like he could take care of himself. He just hoped he wouldn't have to witness it happening first hand.

"This way," Fred called out as he led his group towards his bedroom. It was, in his opinion, the second best place to hold a group discussion. That and it was always fun to see new people's reactions to his unusual collection. He was kind of looking forward to it, especially after his friends' reaction the first time they'd seen it.

Realizing where the otaku was heading, Wasabi groaned. Of all the places Fred could pick, it had to be there. "Can't we just use the garage or something?" he complained.

"Nope!" Fred said, his grin slowly growing wider as he continued down the long hallway leading to his sanctuary. "It's been a while since I last had someone new to show this to and I'm taking that opportunity."

Q rolled his eyes, continuing forward at a nudge from Worf. "What are you monkeys babbling about? Surely you can't be planning some new form of torture to make my existence that much less meaningful."

"You will speak when you are spoken to or asked for your opinion," Worf growled, pointedly ignoring the family portrait hanging in the middle of the red-covered wall. He was not interested in such things.

Fred gave a rather amused smile as he reached the end of the hallway, turning to look back at those behind them. "Welcome to my sanctum sanctimonium," he said as he clapped his hands and the doors slid open.

Wasabi resisted the urge to face palm, turning to, instead, look at the expressions of the two behind him. This was sure to be entertaining. At least he wouldn't be alone in his misery anymore, not that he paid the decor much attention now that he was used to it.

Worf looked around the room with an impassive expression. He glanced up at the painting of the barbarian and gave a brief nod towards it. "Very interesting choice of decoration," he commented. "Are these trophies of your conquests?"

Q, on the other hand, seemed to turn a funny shade of green. "What in the name of grignack is _that_?" He pointed at the painting in question, a depiction of Fred as a barbarian riding a tiger, then at the giant lizard with its "don't touch" sign. "You humans are so barbaric! No wonder I wanted to eradicate your species."

Fred's smile spread even wider as he stood closer to the giant screen television, facing the rest of the room. He had his hands behind his back, more than pleased with events. "I know it's a bit startling at first," he said, "but it kind of grows on you."

Wasabi shook his head, one hand on his forehead. "It never ends," he groaned to himself. He straightened, realizing what Worf had implied with his question. "Did you say conquests? Oh heavens no! Fred is what we like to call an otaku. He likes to collect things. And in his case, he collects things related to comic books and super heroes. He didn't have to fight anyone to get any of this stuff."

But Fred held up a disagreeing finger. "Not true. I did have to wrestle a few collectors for some of these items. I just had the upper hand, and a bigger wallet."

This time Wasabi did face palm. "I can't believe I just heard that. Please don't tell me there are others out there who actually think this stuff is cool."

"Tons," Fred answered with an amused smile. He still had a long ways to go in educating his friends about comic books and the like, but they'd get there.

Q moved towards the curved white couch and took a tentative seat; almost as if he was afraid it would try to eat him. "As amusing as this display is, can we please get down to the business we're supposed to be discussing?"

Worf moved to take a seat on the other side of the couch, but in a position where he could keep an eye on the other alien. "I believe we are supposed to try and come to an understand as to where we stand."

"That might be a little hard," Wasabi spoke up, choosing to stand next to Fred, "considering we're not entirely sure where that is."

Fred placed his hand under his chin as he thought about it. "Wasabi's right," he agreed. "I mean, we can keep hashing over what we already know, but that's not going to get us anywhere. Unless we go out and explore a bit, I really don't see how we're going to get anything new."

Q raised his hand, giving Worf a dirty look when he saw his disdain. "I have a question. Can we find something else for me to wear? It's not that I don't like dressing as a Star Fleet officer, but I do feel rather out of place, especially since my friend, Worf, here," he paused at another nasty expression from the Klingon, "seems to have already acquired a wardrobe that fits in with the others."

"You have not earned the right," Worf spoke up, arms folded as he glared at Q. The man could go naked for all he cared, though that would, in its own way, be unseemly. The mass majority of people he'd seen while out and about seemed to be at least decently clad in some type of garment, even some were more revealing than others.

Fred waved a hand to disrupt the situation. "Just hang on there a minute," he interjected. "Q's got a point. I mean, if you guys all blend in, wouldn't it stand to reason that he should too? Maybe we should take him out shopping. You know, get him some clothes and whatnot."

"I have a better idea," Wasabi said, a slow smile showing on his face. "We can send Heathcliff to get him something. I'm sure your butler would be able to guess at the right size."

Q scrunched up his face. "A butler? Pick out my clothes? You can't possibly be serious! What if they can't guess my correct size? Or, worse yet, pick out something I don't like?"

Worf stood. "You will be grateful the offer was made at all," he intoned with a voice that brooked no arguments.

Q settled back with a scowl. "Fine. I see I have little choice. Have your butler pick something out for me. But it better not be like that outfit you thrust upon me last time this happened." He glared at the Klingon as if everything was his fault instead of the other way around.

.....................................

Cass Hamada glanced at the customer still sitting at the back of her store. He hadn't so much as moved all day, still asleep as far as she could tell. And she was beginning to wonder if that might not be a good thing. It wasn't natural. That and his unusual garb was drawing attention from her usual patrons.

Mentally preparing herself for potential battle, Cass rolled up her sleeves and marched over to the table. "Excuse me," she said rather loudly as she stood next to the Victorian-clad patron. "Excuse me!" Her outburst drew curious looks from several customers.

When nothing happened, Cass felt a bit foolish. It looked like the man was breathing. That was a relief. At least he wasn't dead. That wouldn't have gone over well. But the evening rush was about to start and this man hadn't so much as ordered a single thing, dozing off the entire time. Something had to be done about that. At the very least, she needed to make sure he didn't need an ambulance or something.

She tapped the man on the shoulder, still not getting a reaction. Feeling more than a little frustrated, she did something that went against her principles and smacked the man across the face. It wasn't hard, but enough to make a loud noise and leave a bit of a red mark.

The man seemed to jump, fumbling at his pockets. The next moment, he pulled out some kind of pistol and waved it around the building. "Do not move," he ordered, his sights settling on Cass. "If you value your life, you will not move."

Cass froze on the spot, her eyes going wide. What in the world? This had to be some kind of joke. She could hear the restless rustlings of the customers behind her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw one of her employees inching towards the telephone on the counter. "Who are you to tell me what to do?" she asked in a sudden flare of temper. This was her shop, after all.

The man aimed his pistol just past her face and fired off a round. Light flared as gunpowder ignited, sending the bullet into the floor with lethal force. "I said do not move," he reemphasized with a cold stare. "The next round will not miss."

........................................

GoGo took charge of her team and ushered them out onto the back terrace. It was the same area they'd used to test out their gear a little over a year ago. And with the day as nice as it was, she kind of wished she'd brought her skates out with her but knew it probably wasn't the best idea.

Picard took a position on a stone bench, Honey Lemon sitting across from him. Data sat next to his captain and GoGo sat opposite him.

"So," GoGo said as she blew and then popped a pink gum bubble. "What do you think? I mean you know this Q guy better than we do. You think what's going on is his fault?"

Honey glanced nervously at her companion. "GoGo, do you really think we should be pointing fingers? What if what Fred said is right and it's just our universe equaling itself out?"

The adrenaline junky shrugged, making her hair bounce just a little as she folded her arms. "Makes no difference to me. He's the one who brought them here." She nodded towards the two time travelers.

"While that may be correct," Data spoke up, "I do not believe the purpose of our breaking into groups was to lay blame. I believe we were instructed to discuss our options. Is that not so?"

Picard nodded crisply. "It is," he agreed. "So, let us discuss our options."

GoGo rolled her eyes. "Options? What options? We don't exactly have enough information to make options."

"Would it be bold for me to say you are suggesting our best option is to continue to gather information?" Data asked, interrupting her.

Honey adjusted her glasses, which had slid down her nose. "I don't think that's exactly what she meant," she said, glancing at her friend. "But that is a good point. We really don't have enough information. It's so much easier when we have a tangible goal to work towards. The best we have now is finding a way to help you get home. But we're not even sure how you were brought here in the first place."

The Captain sighed. "I take it you are something of a scientist," he guessed as he looked at Honey. "So I won't insult you with semantics. It would indeed be nice to be able to understand the principles upon which Q's powers work. I can only assume they answer to a higher law than what we currently comprehend. And that, I grant you, is no real answer at all. If we cannot understand it, how can you?"

GoGo rolled her eyes at that one. "Really? We may not live in the same universe you come from, but we're far from backwater. I'll bet we could figure it out if we had enough information to go off of."

Honey put out a hand to hold her friend back as she'd risen a bit from her seat. "The best thing we can do is try to calmly figure things out. If that means we have to go out and collect whatever information we can, then that's what we do."

With another eye roll, GoGo settled back down. "What information? We don't even know what we're looking for!"

"Perhaps I can be of assistance," Data announced. "If given the opportunity to interface with a computer, I may be able to extract information that might prove useful to our current investigation."

GoGo looked towards Picard with an incredulous look. "He can do that?"

Picard smiled. "Data is a very capable member of my crew," he answered. "His abilities are second to none. If he says he can do it, I have no doubt he can."

"I guess that means we need to find you a computer," Honey Lemon said. The nearest one was probably in their command center. She wondered what Hiro would think of her bringing them into that space but shrugged the thought aside. They were all on the same team now. And if Hiro didn't like it, well, he'd get over it.

......................................

Cass tried very hard to not shake as the man continued to point his gun at her. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he was deadly serious. She also saw, out of the corner of her eye, one of her regulars heading towards the door from outside. Thankfully, she stopped before entering as she saw the situation inside. She noticed the woman pull out her cell phone and dial a number, hoping she was calling the police.

"Please," Cass said, now looking back at the man. "I'll do whatever you want. Just let the others go."

Mumbled conversations filled the café as the various coffee drinkers wondered what would happen. They liked the proprietress, and if she was willing to sacrifice herself for them, well, they'd surely do the same for her. There was only one gunman. He only had a limited number of shots. Any one of them could take him down. If they were given the chance.

The man glared at Cass with scathing eyes. "I want you to stay precisely where you are, madam," he said. "Do not so much as twitch or I cannot guarantee what will happen."

Having thought of moving, Cass instantly stopped the idea before it left the gate. She could tell this man meant business. He would kill her, leaving Hiro a complete orphan. There was no way she was going to allow that to happen. "Why don't you just tell me what you want?"

The pistol moved ever so slightly as the man all but snarled. "I want my life back! And you will be the instrument through which that happens!" He moved around the table, striding up to her with thundering steps. "Do not ask me again." And with that, he backhanded her with his gun hand, sending Cass to the floor. He then looked around at the other customers. "Would anyone else care to make a comment?"

No one did.

...............................

Knowing there really wasn't much to do in their small group, Fred had decided it was time to catch up on the local news. He turned away from the two arguing guests, Q and Worf, to stare at the television. Flipping the channel, he almost had a mild heart attack. "Oh crap!"

Hearing the exclamation, everyone fell silent as they looked towards Fred's location. But it was Wasabi who actually broke the ice. "Fred, man, what's going on? You look like you've seen a ghost," he said, staring at the school mascot who did indeed look rather pale.

"Um, guys," Fred hesitated as he held up the remote and upped the volume on the television. "This does not look good. Someone should definitely go find Hiro."

The newscaster's voice became audible as Fred toyed with the volume. "As we reported earlier, on top of the already bizarre happenings around the lower part of San Fransokyo, we have a developing story. Not even a full day has passed since our breaking story of the man who vanished earlier and yet another unusual situation brings our focus back to the area."

The man who'd been talking turned to his fellow newscaster. "What can you tell us about this story, Debbie?"

The woman he'd spoken to turned to face the camera as an image was brought up on screen next to her. "Well, Doug, it would seem that a man in Victorian era clothing has taken the entire Lucky Cat Café hostage. Police are arriving on the scene as we speak. We have no reports yet of any casualties but we have learned there are at least fifteen people inside with the gunman."

Wasabi couldn't help but stare at the screen in horror. "Oh no," he said, not realizing he'd spoken aloud. "This cannot be happening. No!" He shook his head as if to deny it.

Fred looked serious as he glanced at the three in the room with him. "Do any of you know which direction Hiro's group went?"

Q shrugged his shoulders. "How should I know? You bustled me off to this chamber of visual torture without so much as a by your leave."

"I do not know," Worf added, watching the newscast as it switched to a commercial break.

Wasabi shook himself. "If I know Hiro, he's probably gone to the movie room," he said as he turned away from the television. "I'm going to go see."

"Yeah," Fred agreed. "You do that. We'll be here."

Wasabi bolted out of the door like someone was after him.

...........................

Hiro was in the middle of explaining their first adventure with Callaghan and the alien tech portal he'd used when Wasabi entered the room looking rather pale and out of breath. The boy was about invite him over when he stopped to assess the situation. "What's wrong, Wasabi?"

Wasabi frowned. "Hiro, you need to go to Fred's room. Now. There's something going on that you really need to see."

Deanna stood, feeling the tides of dread and apprehension coming from the older male. "Has something happened?"

Hiro didn't give Wasabi a chance to answer as he recognized the look in his friend's eyes. He made a mad dash past the barrel-chested man, his stomach suddenly dropping into his shoes. He had a bad feeling about this, whatever it was.


	16. State of Emergency

The doors seem to fly open as Hiro all but bolted into Fred's room, only to stop as if a giant hand had halted his progress. He stood, his chest heaving as his senses registered what was being displayed on the giant television the others on Fred's team faced. He still didn't know if he could believe it. But there it was, in all it's HD glory.

"We have an update," Doug the newscaster announced as the image of the Lucky Cat Cafe returned to the upper corner of the screen. "Police have surrounded the building and are preparing to bring in a negotiator. Still no word on any casualties. What we do know is the gunman has forced those inside to cover the windows."

Hiro's heart almost burst from his chest as he recognized the building on the screen. "No!" His legs seemed to melt underneath him. "No! No! NO! This can't be happening!"

No more than a minute later, Baymax, Wasabi and Troi entered the room. Both Wasabi and Troi paused only a few meters inside the doorway but Baymax continued towards Hiro, concern evident in his every step.

"Hiro is in shock," Baymax announced. albeit unnecessarily. The shock was obvious.

Fred moved towards the new group, his face looking strained. "Hey, um…" he let his words fade off, and then looked towards the door. "I'm going to go get the others," he announced, striding determinedly towards the hallway. He paused only long enough to pat Hiro on the shoulder as he passed him. "We'll get her out of there. Alive. Promise," he said before moving on.

Troi could feel the emotions roiling around her like a tidal wave but had no context on which to base them. "Is someone going to tell me what's going on?" she asked.

Wasabi cleared his throat with an effort. "Hiro's aunt owns that café," he said as he pointed at the newscast in question.

That's all it took for the pieces to fall into place. "Oh," she said, moving towards the distraught boy. Things could go one of two ways, and she hoped it wouldn't go in the direction she thought most likely.

Hiro began to tremble, though not from any extreme of temperature. His hands balled into fists as he raised his head to stare at the screen, his teeth clenched together. "Not my aunt," he said as he slowly got to his feet, determination filling the void the shock had left behind.

GoGo and Honey Lemon rushed into the room as Hiro stood ramrod straight, every inch of his body tight. The two girls needed only to look once to know what kind of mood their leader was in. Just like with Tadashi and Callaghan, this was personal.

"Hiro," Troi said, putting a hesitant hand on the boy's shoulder, only to have it shrugged off. "I know what you're feeling right now," she tried again but without the physical contact. "No one blames you for being angry. But going into this situation with the intent for blood is not going to help your aunt."

That comment caught Worf's attention. "A warrior must be swift and exact. But he must not let his emotions get in the way of the overall goal."

"What is going on?" Picard demanded as he entered the room. He paused in momentary shock as he was met by the barbarian painting on the wall.

Deanna moved to intercept the captain. "An unknown assailant has taken Hiro's aunt captive," she explained, bringing him up to speed. "But in his current state, should he go out there, I doubt he will be able to deliver her and the other hostages safely out of harm's way."

Hiro continued to stare fixedly at the screen as the scene unfolded. "Guys, let's suit up," he said, his voice as cold as steel.

Picard moved further into the room, watching the reactions of all inside. Troi was right. Something had to be done. "Might I suggest making this a two-fold operation? It's obvious this is a situation that requires some delicacy, and while I'm sure your planetary security is doing its best, I gather you don't have much confidence in them."

"You're right," Hiro answered, fists still clenched as he turned towards the captain. "I don't. Not when it concerns a member of my family."

Wasabi moved into Hiro's immediate view. "Hey," he said, trying to sound reasonable, "remember what happened when you lost it with Callaghan? I'd really rather not have a repeat of that. Don't forget there are others involved this time. We can't go in guns blazing and getting people hurt. That's not how we do things."

"Don't let them push you around, Hiro," Q piped up, suddenly showing an intense interest in the situation. "Do what you want. Get revenge. You know you want to."

Without warning, Q reeled as GoGo sucker punched him. She shook out her fist as the man stared at her in disbelief. "Stop messing with my friend," she hissed at him, looking more than ready to do it again if necessary.

Q had spun with the force, but he now looked up at GoGo with a partial sense of awe, probably more at her tone than anything else. "I can't believe you actually hit me." He shook his head once. "That actually hurt!"

Hiro scrunched up his face as the different voices of reason warred inside him. He knew his friends were right. And even though Q's idea was tempting, he knew revenge wasn't going to do him any favors. He didn't know if his aunt had been hurt yet or not. Besides, he'd made a vow to himself, and Tadashi, that he wouldn't intentionally harm another being ever again.

He closed his eyes and slowly counted to ten, shutting out Q's protests in the background, along with any other comments anyone else made. Once he reached ten, he let his shoulders sag. It wasn't an easy decision to make, but he knew it was the right one. "Okay," he said, releasing his held breath. "We do this the smart way. But first, we suit up."

Fred seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, realizing the worst was over. "Alright!" He pumped his fist in the air. "Let's do this!" He led the group towards their command center, Hiro holding back to walk next to Captain Picard.

"You said something about a two-fold operation," Hiro said as he moved in sync with Picard's steps. "What did you have in mind?"

Picard looked at the teen with some surprise. "I assume you will want some kind of distraction on the ground level," he answered. "The café in question appears to be three stories tall, correct?" He paused only long enough to gain an affirmative nod. "While one group distracts from the ground, the others come in from above. If we coordinate, we might be able to remove the threat without anyone getting hurt."

Hiro had to nod at that. "Baymax can scan the building as we come up. If you guys can go on the ground and give the gunman some kind of distraction, he won't know what hit him when we get down to his level. But can you come up with a good enough distraction? With the windows covered, it won't be easy. You'll have to make a lot of noise, and not just for the benefit of those inside."

"I do not believe that will be a problem, do you?" Data spoke up. "Such a stratagem would not require all of us to be present. In fact, it would be best if the numbers were kept low. For obvious reasons, Counselor Troi should not be involved. I would not recommend Q be included in this operation either."

Q gave a rather brooding scowl as he nursed his swollen cheek. He was being held in tow by Worf who did not seem inclined to let him go any time soon. "I would be more than happy to keep an eye on this one, even if it does exclude me from the honor of battle," Worf spoke up.

They continued to march into the command center, each Hero putting on their respective armor. Hiro had to have some help getting Baymax into his but it was accomplished much more quickly than it used to take. He didn't have time to answer curious questions and had brushed them aside until later.

"Wasabi, I need you to drive our friends to the area in your van," Hiro directed. "We'll meet you a block away from the mess, unless you want to sit guard duty?" He gave his friend a questioning look. He didn't know Worf well enough to trust leaving him behind with Q, which meant either Wasabi stayed behind too, since he liked the idea of keeping an eye on Q, or everyone else went in the van.

The expression Wasabi gave him in return was answer enough. "I'll drive. Just make sure your aunt makes it out okay," he requested, knowing it would be wiser to sit this one out, unless backup was needed. There was no way he was going to just sit back at the Manor, babysitting a juvenile adult. It was better to wait on things there and be there should he be needed. Besides, he wasn't about to let just anyone drive his van.

Hiro nodded, then turned to the two girls in his group. "Honey Lemon, you and GoGo will go inside from the roof. I need you to be ready to immobilize our target with whatever you think works best. GoGo, if he resists, you take him down."

GoGo popped her gum as she flipped her visor into place. "What are you going to do?" She glanced pointedly at their leader.

The teen stood next to Baymax. "I'm getting you guys in and keep eyes on what's going on below, with Baymax's help. I think it's best if I don't go in there until the action's over."

His announcement caused many a moment of surprise. "I think you're making the right choice," Deanna said, feeling what it cost him to say it.

Hiro simply nodded. "Let's get going. Wasabi," he glanced at the OCD Hero, signaling for him to move out with his group. He then turned to Baymax. "You know what to do, buddy," he said as he climbed onto the robot's back. "Fred," he glanced at the suited mascot, "Stay with Wasabi and help the others out however you can."

Fred saluted. "Roger that." He bounded after Wasabi and his group as Baymax activated the retracting roof section so they could make a successful launch without worry of crashing through the tiles.

Honey Lemon and GoGo climbed up on either side of Hiro and nodded their readiness. "Let's do this!" Honey called out as Baymax activated his thrusters.

...................................

Despite being in a state of emergency, Wasabi kept to the speed limit as he drove to the Lucky Cat Café. Perhaps Hiro knew that would happen, or just hoped for once his friend would break the rules. Either way, their group made it there after Hiro's, who waited somewhat impatiently a block or two away from the action. Fred had asked Heathcliff to stay on standby, just in case.

On the way over, Picard and Wasabi tried to decide on the best course of action to give the other team the distraction they needed. "The problem is we don't know anything about the gunman," Wasabi said as he made a left-hand turn. "Or what kind of gun he's using. That's important."

"Having a certain sense of one's enemy does allow for greater success," Worf agreed. He still had one hand firmly holding onto Q's arm, just in case he got any ideas. And though he would not be joining in the initial operation, he was more than willing to jump into action should the need arise. If it did, he fully planned on knocking Q unconscious.

Data looked around the vehicle, observing those present. Of those able-bodied, only four really counted, unless one took into consideration that Wasabi had been called on as backup instead of front line. That left three, and one of them was decidedly a stand out in his lizard suit. "Would it be safe to say that most people in this region have seen your attire?" he asked Fred pointedly.

Fred had his head visible, the hood thrown back for now. "Yeah," he replied in a serious tone. "We've been in the newspapers and the like for months now. Unless this gunman's not from around here, they've probably heard of or at least seen pictures of all of us."

Picard ran a hand over his bald head, immediately understanding where the android had been going with this. "If you're recognizable, chances are good you won't provide the necessary distraction for the assailant inside, not that they can see through covered windows. However, it might buy us time from the outside, especially if you can make a lot of noise."

Deanna looked at the man in confusion. "I'm not sure I understand where you're going with this, Captain," she confessed.

"Given the brief history of our new friends," and Picard paused to make sure his crew knew who he meant; "they will hopefully be trusted by the local authorities. If they can be distracted from laying siege to the building, that will at least buy Hiro and the others time to infiltrate it. Unfortunately, that still leaves the gunman in question. Will that be distraction enough for whoever he or she is to allow the other team access to the building?"

Data seemed to frown at that. "There is one way to gauge the people inside," he finally offered as Wasabi pulled the van to a stop a few blocks away from their goal. Already, they could hear the sound of sirens and the gathering crowd. Things were decidedly escalating on the outside. "Have Counselor Troi monitor the emotional state of those inside and outside the building," he concluded as the others waited for him to finish his thought.

Picard glanced over at the injured woman. "Counselor?"

Troi frowned as she cradled her arm. "It would put me closer to the danger, which is something I believe Hiro wanted to avoid. But I think Data's right on this one. Someone has to keep a tab on the emotional state of the situation. I really don't think any of the others are able to do that."

The captain nodded. "Very well." He took a moment to figure out how to open the van's door, getting some help from Fred when it took him a bit longer than necessary to figure out the mechanism. "Counselor Troi, Fred, and Data, you will accompany me to the cafe. Mr. Worf and Wasabi will stay behind and keep an eye on Q. Keep in touch with Hiro with whatever means you use just in case we need you to come help out."

....................................

Having heard from the others that they were, more or less, in position, Hiro instructed Baymax to land on the neighboring building, still out of sight of the growing pool of activity near at hand, but close enough they could be there at a moment's notice. They'd already dropped off Honey Lemon and GoGo, who were in sight from their current location.

Hiro scanned the area ahead of them, not sure what kind of distraction the others had in mind. Part of him wished he'd given different orders, changing his role in things. But another part of him knew if he went down into the café before all was said and done, and found his aunt hurt… well, things would not end well. He was not above admitting his temper still needed some work, especially when it came to anyone hurting those he loved.

"You two ready?" he asked as he glanced towards Honey Lemon and GoGo's location as he called out to them over the comm.

Thanks to one of Honey's chem balls, GoGo was hanging from an elastic string of goop near the back of the house. There was a window that was relatively small, though still large enough for GoGo to squeeze through. The only problem was that it would land her right on top of Hiro's tall dresser. She'd have to be careful to not dislodge anything that could cause any noise they'd hear below. But, if she managed that, she could open one of the other windows for Honey to go through, allowing them to team up inside.

GoGo pushed the window open enough to slide through. "I'm going in," she said. Thankfully, the window had already been partially opened from a few days earlier. The hard part was not knocking over the soccer ball sitting on top of the thing. She half wished she could have used the other window just a few meters away, but knew that would be even more difficult as it didn't actually open. And even if it did, she'd have to jump down onto the workbench, which was sure to make noise.The thing was cluttered with so many spare tools it wasn't even funny.

Being as careful as possible, GoGo positioned herself to land next to the soccer ball, hoping she wouldn't accidentally knock it down. But if she did, at least it wouldn't make too much of a noise. Hiro had said the dresser was fairly sturdy. It wasn't like she was going to knock that thing over.

GoGo set her weight down on the wooden surface, balancing like a cat as the rest of her slid past the window's frame. "I'm in," she said over the radio. She carefully moved to sit on the dresser when the sudden realization hit her that she'd have to somehow jump down to the floor to reach the window on the far side. That was a height well over her own size. It was a tall dresser, after all. Unless...

She turned her attention to the left, where a short filing cabinet sat. On top of it, unfortunately, was an assortment of junk. There were a couple of glue bottles, something that might have once been an ash tray but was now being used to house odds and ends, and a vase with a daruma doll on it, among other things. If she wanted to use it as a stepping stool to get down, she'd have to displace something already there.

The adrenaline junky resisted the urge to cuss. Now was not the time to worry about Hiro's inability to not clutter up a work space. He was still a creature of habit. "Hang on," she said over her radio. "I've gotta find a way to get down without breaking anything. You should really try rearranging things sometime."

On the opposite roof, Hiro shook his head. He knew exactly what she meant, envisioning his room down to the last detail in his mind. He mentally kicked himself. Why hadn't he remembered that small obstacle before they'd enacted this part of the plan? "How's that distraction coming?" he asked Fred over the link.

"Working on it, little dude," Fred answered back. "We'll let you know when we've got it up and running."

Meanwhile, GoGo decided to just go for it. She had her skates attached to the magnet on her back, the throwing discs attached to them as well, which helped. At least she wouldn't end up sliding all over the place because of them. As slowly as possible, she slid one foot to rest on the only clean edge of the filing cabinet. If she just used it as a sort of minor step, maybe she could get to the floor without any further problems.

She put her weight on the one foot, hoping nothing would slip. Almost as if she were some kind of ballerina, or maybe an acrobat, she kicked her other leg out. Using the metal cabinet as a sort of spring board, she launched herself towards Hiro's bed, tucking her limbs in at the last moment to land on the mattress. She took a moment to breathe a sigh of relief before stepping down to the floor. "Made it," she announced. "I'm heading to the other window. Honey you better be ready."

On the roof, Honey nodded, even though she knew GoGo couldn't see her. So far so good, though they still had no idea what the others had in mind for a distraction. "On it," she said in response to GoGo's inquiry on her status.

Her fingers flew across the little keypad on her purse and a chem ball popped out, much like the one she'd broken to help GoGo down to the one window. She cracked this one as well, grabbing the resulting goo that looked something like taffy. One end stuck to the shingles where she'd cracked the sphere. The other stretched as she moved towards the other side of the building to repel down. "This had better work," she said as she stepped over the side. So long as it didn't rain, the goo should stay intact. It was designed to melt when in contact with water. It meant less cleanup later that way.

Hiro watched the chemist as she made her way towards the window, working like a seasoned wall climber. "We're all in place up here," he called over the link. "Just waiting on you guys." He glanced towards the front of the house, wondering just what the others had in mind.

.....................................

Picard walked back towards the rest of his group. At Fred's suggestion, they'd moved to a location just out of sight of the windows, even though they were still covered. "I've just finished talking to the man in charge of this situation," he said as he looked around. "It would seem that mentioning your little group had an effect on him." He nodded at Fred.

Despite the obvious nod in his direction, Fred managed to keep his excitement to himself. For the most part. "And?" he asked impatiently.

"The gunman refuses to talk to their negotiator," Picard replied. "They've tried calling him and sending in a separate line of communication but he just doesn't seem interested. They're about ready to send in a team with something they call stun grenades."

Fred couldn't help but put hands to his head as he rocked back. "No. No. Not good," he said. "Stun grenades never end well." He turned to Troi. "What can you tell us? Picard did say you could keep an eye on the emotional state of those inside. So what's going on in there?"

Troi looked from Fred to Data to Picard before answering. "I can sense fourteen separate minds in varying states of fear. They seem to be reaching a peak in their emotions, which means they know something is going to happen soon. As for the gunman, he seems rather unstable and desperate."

"Whoa. Hold on there a sec," Fred said, hands out in protest. "You said fourteen but the news people said there were fifteen hostages. Don't tell me someone's dead in there."

Deanna shook her head. "I don't know. There is another mind there, but it seems clouded somehow. My guess is whoever it is must be unconscious."

Fred straightened as he got the go ahead from Hiro. 'Hey, um, Hiro's group is ready to go so if you have something in mind, now would be a good time to do something about it."

Picard glanced at Data. "Let's get this over with, shall we Mr. Data?" He didn't mention that he'd also briefly told the officer in charge that he was working with the Heroes and that they had something planned to allow them access to the building without getting anyone hurt. He just hadn't told him how, mostly because he wasn't sure at the time.

The android nodded as he started forward. "Yes, I do believe that would be wise." He turned to Fred. "If you would please do your best to show yourself to the people inside, that would be helpful. I noticed there were some gaps in the window covering. It would also be helpful if you could create as much noise as possible while we do the same."

Fred smiled as he nodded, knowing they couldn't see that smile since he had his cover on. "I am so ready for this! Just give me the signal!"

Deanna held a hand out as she watched the two men of her crew head back towards the café's front. "Be careful."

A rather roguish smile filled the Captain's face. "Don't worry. Fred, tell Hiro it's time."

The mascot gave a thumb up, then radioed Hiro.

"And I told you to bugger off!" Picard yelled as they rounded the corner of the café, using his most theatrical voice. "If you would only listen, we wouldn't' be in this mess!"

Data appeared to be suitably upset with this comment as he reached to grab his commanding officer in a manner that could only be construed as hostile. "I will not be ignored," he announced. "If you do not listen to my demands, then we will just have to take this to the next level."

All eyes on the street turned to the two arguing men, including the cops. "Hey, you can't be here!" one officer yelled as he moved towards the two men, oblivious to the fact that one of them had just talked to their commander in chief only moments before.

"Now!" Fred called out to Hiro as he ran towards the corner.

.................

From above, Honey Lemon swung through the now open window into Hiro's room, landing on her feet but making a little more noise than she'd anticipated.

"Come on!" GoGo urged as she made her way quickly to the stairs. "Their distraction won't last long!"

Honey was quick to follow as she programmed in another chemical equation on her purse, ready to throw the resulting orb at a moment's notice. "I sure hope they didn't hear that below!"

Back on the street, Fred jumped around the corner, landing just shy of the windows there. He let out a mighty roar as he let a bout of flame loose from his costume's mouth into the air. "Roar!" Thankfully, he was inside the barrier line, where no one else was in the way.

Honey and GoGo raced down the stairs, taking them two at a time. "I need to know where the gunman is," Honey called over the radio.

Hiro glanced over at Baymax who tilted his head to look down. "Where is he, buddy?" he asked.

Baymax scanned the area with his super sensor. "I am detecting a concentration of people near the open area of the café," he reported. "There appears to be one male near the counter area with elevated neurotransmitter levels."

"That's the one!" Hiro immediately relayed that to Honey, just in case she hadn't heard. "By the counter! The others should be near the windows."

By this time, the two girls had made it down the stairs. Knowing time was of the essence before something exploded, mainly a gun going off, Honey chose to throw the orb towards the area indicated before confirming her target. Her other hand breezed over the keypad on her purse, just in case.

The orb broke, erupting with a mass of multi-colored foam. It encased whoever it had hit. Honey knew she'd hit someone because there had been a dull thud as something heavy fell to the ground, possibly the gun used to hold the store hostage. That and she'd heard a man's voice let out a sound of protest.

GoGo ran around the corner leading into the open floor, disc in hand, ready to throw. She looked towards the location of Honey's thrown foam. "Direct hit!" she announced. Then the oddest thing happened. "What in the...?"

It was almost as if the room filled with static electricity. Every hair seemed to stand on end, especially on those nearest to the counter. An almost visible wall of something seemed to form around the area, reminding GoGo of a soap bubble or a heat haze. It floated towards the man in question, but the moment it reached him, he let out a blood-curdling scream before disappearing in a shimmer of pink gas and foam.

..............................

Hiro went to his knees like a rock. He didn't know why but he suddenly felt an intense sense of disorientation, like his entire body was fighting with itself from the inside out. He'd felt it before, back when they'd encountered the alien entity. He'd really hoped it would never happen again. Without realizing it, Hiro let out a scream as pain ripped through his body.

"Hiro!" Baymax called out as he immediately went to the boy's side. He scanned him, realizing what was going on the moment he registered the energy running rampant in the area. But there was no possible way this was coming from the entity they'd encountered before. They'd sent it back into the Rift where it belonged. That and the energy reading wasn't quite the same.

The teen pressed his hands against his helmet as his head threatened to explode. And then, just as it had started, it suddenly stopped. He slumped to the ground in half relief, half exhaustion, phantom pain spikes still tracing their way up and down his spine. Hiro rolled onto his back and stared almost blankly up into the sky. A thousand images seemed to streak by his vision, though he couldn't make sense of any them. They were like shooting stars zipping past his line of sight.

Baymax knelt by his side, looking at Hiro with concern. "Hiro, can you hear me?"

Placing a hand over his visor, Hiro closed his eyes, his breath gradually slowing, along with his heart rate. He swallowed, his body trembling. "I was back in the Rift," he said with a husky voice. "For the briefest of moments, I was back through the Portal. It was being ripped apart. I could see the fissures, spreading out like a slow moving cancer. And when one of them touched me..." He shuddered again at the memory, glad it had only lasted a moment.

With unsteady limbs, he accepted Baymax's help in returning to a sitting position. "I feel like my body was being torn apart with the Rift. Definitely not pleasant," he confessed. But he shook the thought aside for later. There were more important things to worry about right now. "Where are we with things downstairs?"

Baymax blinked at his patient. "It would seem that Honey Lemon was successful in trapping the gunman with her chemical foam. However, he has disappeared in a manner similar to the jogger from this morning. The Police have entered the building to investigate and the hostages are being removed from inside."

Hiro blinked past the lingering headache. "What? You mean we went through all of that trouble and he just disappeared?!"

"That is correct," Baymax confirmed as he moved back a little to give Hiro more room. "I would recommend consuming some form of sustenance," he advised. "This recent encounter appears to have affected you in a similar manner as the alien entity. Your blood sugar levels have dropped significantly."

But Hiro waved him aside. "What about my aunt? Is she okay?"

Baymax knew Hiro wouldn't follow his instructions until he knew his aunt was fine so he turned to scan the area once more. "Your aunt appears to have sustained a minor concussion," he reported. "She is being treated now." He didn't bother mentioning any of the others, more than aware that Hiro's main concern was for his aunt. But those who needed treatment were also receiving it.

Hiro made his way to the roof's edge by crawling over and looked down. The worst did indeed seem to be over, with the hostages from inside exiting the building, just in case. Several ambulances were on scene, treating those from inside. Most seemed to be suffering more from emotional trauma than anything else, but he noticed his aunt sitting near the back of an ambulance. At least she was conscious. The last time he'd seen her in a similar condition she'd been out cold after manufactured earthquakes had struck the city. He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"Think I can sneak in through the back for a change of clothes?" Hiro asked as he crawled back out of view from those below. He moved to look in that direction, only to discover the answer for himself. Several police officers had come around the back area, possibly looking for the now missing suspect. "That would be a no," he answered himself with a sigh. He really wanted to go down there and make sure his aunt was okay, but that would have to wait until later. There was no way he could go down in the persona of Big Hero One just to check on only one person.

Hiro's headset crackled for a moment, as if clearing out static, then GoGo's voice came over the line. "Hey, we've regrouped a block away. You gonna join us or what?"

Baymax leaned forward to offer Hiro a hand to full standing position. "GoGo is correct. It would be advisable to regroup with the others," he said. "Your aunt will expect you to be at Fred's house and will have someone contact you there if she needs you."

Knowing his robotic friend was right, Hiro took the offered hand and slowly got back to his feet. He swayed a bit, his legs threatening to buckle underneath him once more. "You wouldn't happen to have a lollipop handy, would you?"

The robot shook his head. "My armor prevents me from accessing them," he informed. "However, if we quickly return to the others, you will be able to eat something with more substance. I am sure one of them will have something on hand."

"Yeah," Hiro agreed halfheartedly. "Maybe I should just start carrying around a bag of gummy bears or something. You know, in case of emergencies." He moved to climb up onto Baymax's back but had a little difficulty. The robot had to bend down on one knee to allow him access to the necessary footrests to boost himself up. "Good thing the electromagnets weren't affected," he said as he locked his gloves and shoes in place. "Okay. Let's go." He doubted he could hold that position for long. At least their friends weren't too far away.

Not wanting to draw any further unwanted attention, Baymax used the back of the building to make his exit. He activated his thrusters before stepping off the roof and lowering himself enough to safely shoot off towards the designated rendezvous point with as few eyes watching as possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this decidedly longer chapter. I couldn't, in good conscious, split it up and make you wait.


	17. You Don't Look Fine

It took some convincing, but Picard and Data were finally able to rejoin the others only moments after Hiro and Baymax did. The cops had not been too happy about their impromptu sketch in front of the café. But no harm had been done. And once they'd realized the two men had no idea what was going on inside, and the captain had vouched for them, nor were they in any way associated with the hostage situation, they'd let them go with a stiff warning.

"Your planetary security seems to be chasing their own tales," Picard remarked as the Big Heroes huddled together, waiting for Wasabi to bring the car around. He'd had a bit of a harder time getting out of the crowd than the others due to the traffic. The backup was unreal, encompassing several blocks.

Honey Lemon glanced towards the others in her group, biting her lip. It wasn't that the police were incompetent, but the situation was decidedly far from normal. "They mean well," she said with a sigh. "It's not their fault the person holding the café hostage disappeared." And, if she was being honest, she still couldn't help but wonder what had gone on in there. It defied all logic.

"I'm willing to bet it had something to do with that strange bubble we saw," GoGo spoke up as she played with her skates. "Maybe it's like Fred said and Q's powers got taken away, only to randomly float around the city. It is possible."

Wasabi had parked his van by this point and glanced at Picard and his crew. He'd managed to get his van away from the crowd with only a little difficulty. Q and Deanna exited the car moments after he did, just in time to hear GoGo's remarks. "Is that really possible? I mean, it sounds too much like something from one of Fred's comic books," he reasoned.

Fred put his hands on his hips, his kaiju hood thrown back. Thankfully, they were in a side alley where no one could see them. "Comic books are based on reality," he huffed. "If you read them, you'd know that."

Hiro listened to the banter, his head still feeling heavy. He had yet to find something to eat and that left him feeling rather weak. He settled on sitting just inside the car in the back, legs dangling out on the street. Sometimes Wasabi kept snacks in there. He just hoped he could find one.

"As fascinating as this discussion is, I believe it would be advisable to return to the manor before discussing matters further," Data noted. He pulled out his tricorder, which he'd hidden in one of his pockets, and scanned the area. "While we are indeed alone at this moment, I do not believe it will remain that way for long."

Baymax looked around, also scanning the area. "What Data said is correct. I detect several individuals heading in this direction." There were also several cars as well. Chances were good the police were still searching for the man who'd held the cafe hostage, not realizing he was gone and probably wasn't coming back.

Wasabi moved past Hiro's legs, which were sticking out from the open doorway of the van, and back around to the driver's seat. He was followed by Fred, who took shotgun. But before Wasabi could comment that Hiro should actually get into the vehicle, the boy stepped back onto the pavement, munching on something he'd found inside.

"Baymax and I'll meet you back at Fred's place," Hiro announced. The granola bar he'd found had helped a little, but it decidedly wasn't enough. That and there was no way Baymax would fit through the car's door in full armor. Nor would there be enough room even if he did. Flying back would be far more feasible, he decided. Just like how they'd gotten there in the first place. Maybe it was time to call Heathcliff, especially if he could get his way. He didn't want the others to know about his current condition, which meant Honey Lemon and GoGo had to find another way home.

Deanna exchanged a somewhat worried glance with Picard. "I sense there might be something wrong," she told the captain in a hushed voice. "Hiro's hiding something he doesn't want the others to find out."

Worf eyed the rest of his crew. They had yet to get back into the van. He didn't like the idea of them splitting up again, but he could see the wisdom in it. "Perhaps it would be wise to have someone else go with you," he said, looking directly at Hiro. "There is strength in numbers." It helped that at least two people would have to if they were all to make it back without problems. Unless another vehicle showed up.

Honey Lemon glanced at Hiro. "Worf's right," she agreed. There was decidedly something off about Hiro. She just couldn't put her finger on it. Maybe it was his complexion. "I volunteer to go with you." It would save them the trouble of calling Heathcliff to come get someone.

Hiro made a show of rolling his eyes, though part of him felt the precaution a good idea. Despite the granola, he knew he was far from fine and Baymax might bring that up at any moment, regardless of his desire to keep that tidbit a secret. "Fine," he said in resignation after several seconds of silence.

"Me too," GoGo spoke up. "We came in together. Might as well go back together."

Honey moved so the others could get in the car while GoGo attached her skates to the special magnet on her back. "We'll see you back at the house," she said. Making sure the others were all in, she closed the van door. She then stepped back as Wasabi drove off.

Baymax watched the van depart, at least until it turned the corner to rejoin traffic. He then turned his attention back to his patient. "Your blood sugar levels are still low," he warned, ignoring the fact that Honey Lemon and GoGo were still there. At least it wasn't in front of the others, Hiro reasoned, though he was still a bit upset by the comment.

The chemist moved to Hiro's side with mild alarm. "Hiro," she said, searching his face, "what's going on?"

Hiro seemed to stumble a bit, blinking rapidly. For another brief moment, he felt as though he'd somehow returned to the Rift and it left him feeling disoriented. "It's nothing," he said, trying to brush the incident aside. "I'm fine." He put one hand to his head as the pressure in his sinus cavity increased and he wobbled to one side. Finally, he slid to the ground, his head between his knees.

"You don't look fine," GoGo observed. "What gives?" She placed both hands on her hips as she stared at their leader.

Baymax moved to assess his patient once more. "Hiro appears to be sensitive to the energy appearing at random," he informed. "It seems to affect him in a similar manner as the alien entity from the Portal."

Honey bit her lip. "That doesn't sound good," she admitted. "I wish we had the Doctor's sonic screwdriver to help with that. You don't think it's trying to form some kind of psychic link with him, do you?"

GoGo looked grim. "While we're at it, does anyone know how to contact the Doctor? Maybe he could help get those guys back home while he's at it."

The robot shook his head. "I do not believe so. It would appear that the energy is similar enough in structure to that of the entity that it has caused a sort of relapse in Hiro's system. However, I do not believe it is the same. I regret to inform you that I am also unable to contact the Doctor."

Hiro reached up a hand to steady himself. "I'm fine," he assured as both his friends bent closer to him. "Sorry about that. I should be good to go in a minute."

"You should eat something to increase your blood sugar levels," Baymax reminded as he helped the teen stand. "While you sustained a momentary burst of energy from the granola I saw you eating, this recent occurrence seemed to have negated its effectiveness."

The robotics genius couldn't help but lean heavily against Baymax's armor. He was too worn out to pretend anymore. "You're probably right. I still feel kinda dizzy," he admitted. "It's like one side of my head weighs more than the other."

Honey couldn't hide the worry from her eyes. "Maybe you should just carry him," she told the robot. "I doubt he's able to safely fly on your back. Something bad might happen." GoGo nodded in agreement.

Baymax bent to scoop Hiro up in his arms before he could protest. "I believe you are correct," he told Honey. "Please secure yourself to my back and we will depart." He extended his wings as he spoke.

Carefully, Honey Lemon climbed up onto Baymax's back and held on to the base of his wings with both hands. GoGo was not far behind. In so many ways, this reminded her of that one time back with the asteroids and earthquakes. "We're ready," both girls announced.

With a nod, Baymax activated his thrusters and they flew up into the air. With a quick adjustment, they were headed back to Fred's place at record speed.

......................................

By the time Wasabi drove the rest of the group up to Fred's place, Hiro, Honey Lemon, and GoGo were eating dinner. And, thanks to Baymax's attentions, Hiro felt much better than he had earlier. The initial sugar he'd consumed hadn't been nearly enough and the robot had consulted with Heathcliff on making a more nutritionally balanced meal.

"I see you've started without us," Wasabi complained as he entered the smaller breakfast nook. Since they hadn't anticipating having everyone sit around a table, they'd opted to keep using the smaller room. But the burly student didn't stand on ceremony and found a plate to pile high with meat and veggies.

The Enterprise crew, along with Q, came in behind Fred. They all looked more than ready to call it a day. It had been a rather exciting one at that. Shopping trips, arcade games, and a rescue kind of did that to a person. That and there seemed to be a good share of secrets being kept all around.

"Well, this looks fantastic. Just what the doctor ordered," Picard commented as he subconsciously straightened his shirt. He went for a healthy serving of vegetables and noodles.

Honey offered to help Deanna with her plate, since she still had her arm firmly in the printed brace. Aside from which, they were eating buffet style and lounging around in chairs pushed away from the central table where the food was situated.

GoGo waved a lazy hand towards the arriving group. "Took you long enough," she admonished. Her plate was already half empty, though she was working on a second helping and had therefor slowed down a bit.

While Worf served himself, Q stared at the assortment on the table with a rather ugly expression. "What in the universe is this?"

Hiro glanced up from his place near the far window. "Lemon chicken, spicy noodles, and an assortment of green vegetables," he answered with a rather straight face. Casting a quick look towards Baymax, who basically hovered over him, he took another bite of the green beans on his plate. They were decidedly not his favorite but the robotic nurse insisted he eat something other than just meat and noodles. And, knowing the robot would start spouting out about his condition if he didn't eat the veggies, he was more willing to do so.

After some urging on Fred's part, Q speared a few pieces of chicken and a few tongs' full of noodles. He opted to ignore the vegetables as they didn't look that appetizing. "This is all utterly repulsive," he complained as he took the only vacant seat left, which happened to be a hard-bottomed chair made of wood. The others had sat down while he was busy complaining.

"Since things didn't go exactly to plan," Picard spoke up, "Would you prefer we wait until after dinner to discuss what our respective groups came up with? Or would you rather we discuss it while we eat?" He looked directly at Hiro, thinking Troi had been right about him hiding something. The boy seemed rather pensive for some reason, though it might only be from worrying about his aunt.

Before Hiro could answer, however, his cell phone rang. He set his plate aside and looked at the caller ID. "It's Aunt Cass," he announced as he stood and headed towards the hallway. "I'll be right back." With that, he activated the phone, answering it. He shut the door behind him as he left the room.

"I hope she's alright," Honey Lemon worried as she stared at the closed door. They hadn't exactly stuck around to check, though Baymax had assured them she was receiving the care she needed. She put in a silent wish that Hiro would be as well. Despite eating a bit, he did still seem out of sorts. Of course, with everything that had gone on, she couldn't really blame him. It was a lot to handle in one day.

With nothing to do but wait for their leader to come back, the Big Heroes focused on eating. Their guests followed suit, stealing occasional glances around the room.

"You know, guys," Fred spoke up, breaking the silence, "maybe we should start talking about all that's happened. Some pretty good theories were put out there, if you know what I mean."

Data observed his companions with an air of fascination. But when Fred spoke up, he had to agree. "Fred is correct, Captain," he said. "Despite Hiro's absence, perhaps it would not be a bad idea to discuss everyone's theories."

GoGo nodded as she chewed. Hiro could always be brought back up to speed. That and she didn't feel bad about going on without him. After all, he had lied to them about his condition. She gave Wasabi a slightly pointed look, though the man seemed to miss it. She knew he'd covered for Hiro the night before. She just wasn't sure why.

"The most likely theory put out there is about that guy's powers," Fred continued as he pointed his fork at Q. "Remember what was said back at the Café? Maybe what we're dealing with here is his powers running rampant around the city. I heard a few more reports of strange things happening when I went to my room to change."

That caught everyone's attention. Wasabi couldn't help but straighten up, his food meticulously separated on his plate as he put his fork down. "What kind of things?"

The mascot waved a lazy hand in the air. "Oh, like a few objects moving around, mostly those little historical markers or bike racks. Some people think it's just a childish prank. But there's more. I heard a few people randomly disappeared, only to reappear somewhere else. That and there's been some random bouts of rain only in very specific areas, almost as if someone had created a cloud just for that one area."

Deanna glanced over at Baymax, wondering if Fred had found out about the jogger Hiro had told them about earlier. By the sound of things, that poor jogger wasn't the only one. "It sounds likely we're dealing with something like what you said. But I still don't understand how Q's powers could randomly affect different individuals and objects like that. It doesn't make sense."

GoGo shrugged as she put her plate aside and popped a piece of gum into her mouth. "What's there to understand? When Honey and I were in the café and tried to apprehend that guy, we saw some kind of bubble float towards him. When it touched him, he disappeared." She didn't add in the fact that the guy had screamed as if in agony. She could no more explain that than she could everything else that had happened so far.

Picard glanced over to Data who had declined a plate of food when offered earlier. "Your observations, Mr. Data? Is it possible?"

The android tilted his head to one side as he thought about it. "As we do not know the exact properties of this alternate universe, it is theoretically possible. I have discovered nothing that would prove or disprove this theory."

"Those are my powers you're talking about!" Q spoke up, clearly pouting. "And even if they are out there, floating at random as you say, it doesn't excuse all these mortals from using them."

Deanna rolled her eyes. "I highly doubt they're trying to," she retorted. "They can no more control it than a person sent into a sudden rainstorm can control getting wet."

Q folded his arms in a huff, his plate threatening to slide off his lap. "They could try."

"It's not as easy as all that," Wasabi argued. "How can you avoid something you can't see?"

Honey patted her lips with a napkin, then put her plate on a small cart ready for such a purpose. "Almost can't see," she corrected. "Remember? GoGo and I saw that bubble in the café. It almost looked like a heat haze or something similar, except round."

But before they could get any further on this line of conversation, Hiro rejoined the group. "Sorry about that. Aunt Cass says hi and, other than feeling a bit shaken, seems to be doing okay. I offered to go over but she told me to just stay put for now. I think she wants some time alone."

"Speaking of time," Picard said as he stood, taking his empty plate to the cart Honey had used, "perhaps it would be best to sleep on today's events and look on them with fresh eyes in the morning."

Picking up on what the Captain meant, Deanna nodded. "I think you may be right about that. This has been a rather traumatic afternoon for several of us and it might not be a bad idea to give them some time to come to terms with things. That being said, if anyone needs someone to talk to, I'm more than willing to listen."

The majority of those in the room hemmed and hawed at the idea. Worf remained silently observant as he finished off his chicken. Once more, he thought it not bad, though it could have used more sauce. But when the rest of his crew got up to leave for their respective rooms, he was more than willing to follow.

With their visitors gone, GoGo stared pointedly at Hiro. "You have some things to tell the others," she reminded, not about to let him weasel out of it.

Hiro sighed, knowing exactly what she was talking about. "Fine," he agreed. "Just not in here." Deciding he wasn't hungry anymore, he chose to discard his half-finished plate and headed towards their base of operations on the upper floor. He didn't want the others knowing about this just yet. That and the command room was more secure from outside influences.

..................................

With Baymax in his charger, just to be safe, Hiro slumped against the back of his swivel chair. He really didn't want to do this. But with GoGo glaring at him and Honey Lemon looking worried, he didn't think he had much of a choice.

"So, are you going to tell us what's going on or are you going to keep us in suspense?" Wasabi asked as he crossed his arms over his chest. He opted to sit near Honey Lemon's work area, using a stationary stool for a perch. He had no idea what was going on but the sooner they got to the bottom of it, the sooner they could plan things to deal with whatever it was.

Fred lounged in a reclining chair he'd insisted be included in the command center's furniture arrangements. He could just chill in his room, but sometimes it was nice to just sit with everyone's gear and remember all they'd accomplished so far. "Yeah, what's up, little dude?"

Hiro let out a sigh as his face fell. "Actually, Wasabi, you already sort of know," he said as he looked at the blade-wielding hero. "It's kind of a continuation of what happened last night when everyone had that reaction to the random energy." He shuddered just thinking about it, hoping that wouldn't bring about another attack.

Tired of waiting, GoGo pushed away from the work bench she'd been leaning against as she popped a bubble. "Let's just get on with it!" she huffed. "Hiro had a relapse," she then announced before he could protest. "It seems like the energy running around San Fransokyo is similar to that entity that kept going after Hiro when we first met the Doctor."

Fred sat up at that announcement, his expression filled with worry and shock. "Is that true?" His body was unusually tense as he stared at their leader. That last encounter had nearly killed him. And if the energy was the same, or at least similar, he didn't even want to entertain the idea that something similar might happen again.

Hiro hung his head. "Yeah, it's true," he confirmed. "Last night Wasabi was there when it hit me. I guess you could say it was more like I had the same symptoms most of you did but like five times stronger?" He glanced up from under his messy hair, almost as if he hoped they'd let him stop there, though he knew that wish was futile.

GoGo glared at Wasabi. "And when were you going to tell us about this? Because we all know Hiro wasn't."

Looking more than a little upset, Wasabi let his hands drop to his sides before using them to animate his point. "Look, I made a promise. Hiro assured me it was a one time deal. So I covered for him. So sue me."

Honey Lemon pushed up her glasses as she moved to stand in front of the irate hero. "Getting mad at each other isn't going to fix the problem," she reminded. That said, she turned back to Hiro. "Go ahead, Hiro. Tell the others about today."

Totally dejected now, Hiro related how the energy had affected him on the rooftop of his neighbor's house. "Believe me when I say it sucks more for me than it does for any of you guys. At least you don't seem to be bombarded by it like I am."

"Hiro has made an excellent point," Baymax inserted as he held one hand up to emphasize his point. "The only time any others seem to have been affected in a similar manner appears to be last night. Your reactions were also of a decidedly lesser intensity than what seems to affect Hiro."

Fred nodded as he allowed himself to flop back against his seat. "I have a theory about that," he offered. "What if what everyone's thinking is true? What if this energy really is from that Q guy?"

Wasabi almost stood from his seat but the mascot put out a hand to sway him. "Hear me out, guys," he requested. "Just think about it. Those guys from an alternate universe showed up yesterday evening. Only a couple of hours later, we all get hit with that energy wave. Then, earlier today, that Q guy shows up. That and he was near where everything went down earlier, which is where Hiro had a second attack. Coincidence? I think not."

GoGo had to nod. "He has a point. For all we know, Q was held in some kind of limbo while the others were transported here. If our universe didn't like his powers, chances are good they were stripped away during that time, then scattered at random. Of course, it's also entirely possible it's all just a coincidence."

Honey looked around at her friends' faces. It made sense, even if there wasn't any real way to prove it at the moment. "I think the most pressing issue is how this all effects Hiro," she reminded. "If, as you say, this energy is running around the city, what will happen when Hiro comes in contact with more of it? And what can we do to keep it from hurting him?"

"That is a practical question," Baymax observed as he stepped free of his charger. "I would also like to know how to contain the effects this energy has on Hiro."

Hiro couldn't help but give a wry roll of the eyes. "You and me both," he quipped. "I'm not exactly keen on the idea of this continuing. I've had more than enough to last a lifetime, if you know what I mean."

Wasabi shook his head. "I doubt there's a way we can keep it from doing whatever it wants to Hiro. His body's gotten used to the idea of it causing him pain." He held up a hand as his friends protested. "I'm not saying nothing can be done, but it probably won't be easy. It's not like we can see every particle of energy running rampant in the atmosphere. And even if we could, there's no way we could accurately predict how it will affect Hiro without further information."

Hiro threw his hands up in the air. "Oh great! Now I'm a science experiment!" He let himself slouch back against his chair, the furniture spinning enough from the force that he had to straighten it to continue facing his friends, though part of him just wanted to hide from their concerned expressions.

"That's not what I meant and you know it," Wasabi countered. "The point is we don't really know how to predict what's going to happen, or when. If we could find a way to accurately trace each particle of energy that has the potential of affecting you that would be one thing. But short of making some kind of super sensor that can do that, I don't see how we can get around this problem."

Baymax leaned forward. "I can already detect the presence of this energy when it is present," he declared. "However, as it seems unpredictable in its manifestation, I cannot accurately predict its pattern or the size of any given energy pocket prior to materialization."

GoGo pursed her lips. "Back to square one," she mused. "We can't predict it. We can sort of track it, but we can't control it. Heaven forbid we actually find a way to contain it."

The idea seemed to make Hiro's energy levels increase a little as he sat up in his chair. "Containing it is something we should seriously consider," he said. "Maybe if we can find a way to collect it, we can somehow make it return to Q so he can take Picard and his people back home. If it really does belong to him that is."

"But how do we do that without you getting hurt again?" Honey asked as she adjusted her glasses. "There are ways of collecting and storing energy, but we don't know what will work just yet. And while we're trying to figure that out, what's going to keep you out of harm's way?"

Fred idly tapped his fingers on the armrest of his chair. "But if we could do that, it would help, right? I mean, if we had to, we could try building a chamber that would repel this energy and keep Hiro inside until we figure this all out."

"I'm not going to be stuck in some safe place while the rest of you are out there risking your lives," Hiro protested as he went to his feet. "So don't even think about it."

Honey Lemon moved to put a comforting arm around Hiro's shoulders. "No one's going to lock you up in a box," she said, giving Fred a look. "But maybe there are some things we can do as a precaution. For example, the metal from the asteroid seemed to be tuned to a specific type of frequency. Maybe wearing armor laced with it doesn't help. Wouldn't it be a good idea to go back to your original armor? At least until we get this all figured out?"

Baymax watched as his patient considered the idea. "What Honey Lemon suggests seems sound," he reasoned. "Perhaps the energy will affect you less if you are not wearing material previously tainted by the Rift."

Hiro just shook his head. "That means I'll have to make a new set," he informed them. "All my other suits were either destroyed or are coated with the stuff. Guess that means I'll have another late night."

"We can help," Wasabi offered as he stood from his stool. He stopped halfway across the floor as Hiro shook his head once more.

"That's okay. I got it," Hiro replied. There really wasn't much they could do, besides keep him company. The majority of the time would be spent waiting for the 3D printer to do its thing. "But I would like to request everyone keep this from our new friends. They really don't need to know about this right now."

GoGo gave him a look, one brow raised. "You sure that's wise? They're from the future, albeit a different one. Maybe they can help."

Hiro shook his head. "Not yet," he declined. "One thing at a time. I'm sure this won't be a constant thing so there's no need to worry them any more than we have to." He didn't need more people treating him like a ticking time bomb, after all. It was bad enough that his friends were bond to, even if it was out of a sense of responsibility and friendship. He didn't want to be in the lime light any more than was absolutely necessary.

Wasabi folded his arms once more, every line of his body mirroring his disapproval. "Don't say we didn't tell you this was a bad idea," he warned. "But I can see your point. I'll keep my mouth shut. For now."

The others nodded in agreement, though Baymax remained silent. And with that taken care of, they headed to their respective rooms. Except for Hiro. He called up the plans for his suit and began the long process of creating a new set, minus the asteroid metal coating.


	18. No Reason

Deanna Troi winced as she resettled her arm in the sling. The day's events had brought an interesting element into play. And they'd learned more about their hosts because of it. She gave a grim smile of amusement, feeling Q's emotions washing over her. He hadn't been happy to be placed in the same room as Worf. Data had opted to relinquish his bed, but decided to stay in the same room. He didn't need sleep, which was just as well, given the circumstances.

"We seem to find ourselves in a rather unusual set of circumstances," Picard mused as he paced the bedroom. They'd chosen his room to meet up in, instead of using any of the others. It was closer and slightly larger.

Q pouted from his perch on the mattress. "I don't see any reason to feel amused or smug about it," he grumped. "Why is it you're the only one of the males who gets a room to himself? It's not fair."

Worf gave him an admonishing look, moving as if to restrain him before settling back against the wall, his arms folded across his chest. "You should remain quiet until spoken to," he reminded. It wasn't worth the effort to do anything to the sulky man at the moment.

"Perhaps we should consider what Counselor Troi has told us from her encounter with Hiro and his robotic companion," Data spoke up, referring to their aborted discussion from earlier. "The incident does seem on par with recent events. Not to mention that all are within the realm of plausibility when placed inside the theory GoGo presented earlier."

Deanna couldn't help but agree with Data. She brushed some hair from her face with her free hand. "I tend to agree. The only other possible explanation is one I don't care to entertain."

Picard perked up at that, pausing in his turn about the room. "Please explain," he requested.

The counselor crossed one leg over the other as she sat on the only chair in the room. "Earlier, Hiro suggested the possibility of Ley Lines. I know there isn't any scientific evidence to support that. At least not in our universe, which is why I didn't bring it up earlier."

"You would be wrong there," Q pointed out, though he was still inclined to be sulky. "What you don't know about the working universe could fill volumes. For example, these so called Ley Lines might just be another name for the natural conduits of energy that lie below the Earth's surface. Some areas might be more densely concentrated with them than others, which would explain why some areas have more unusual events than others."

Picard glanced over at Data. "Is that even possible?" He knew that their Earth had energy conduits of a sort, but the proposed theory seemed to hint at them being something much more influential than just gravitational fields meant to keep the planet together.

Data searched his data banks, his expression going momentarily blank as he accessed all the requested information. "Using Q's definition, I believe so. Many planets appear to have a natural course of energy-like conduits that run throughout their planetary environment. It is entirely possible that such is the case here as well. If so, any rampant energy might be attracted to those conduits, making it easier for us to at least predict where they may next occur."

The captain nodded his understanding. "Sounds reasonable. Do you think you can find a way to discover where these so called Ley Lines are located?"

Again, Data tilted his head to one side in an almost mechanical manner. "I believe so. It would require that I be able to access the computers inside this building or some other location. But I believe I should be able to find the necessary information to locate them."

"Make it so," Picard instructed as he straightened his shirt before realizing the late hour. "Just not right at this moment. I'm sure our hosts are still keeping an eye on us. Perhaps it would be best to request they give you access to their computers, garner their trust. Tomorrow, perhaps."

Data nodded. "That would seem wise."

Q let himself fall back against the bed. "Ugh, you humans are so mundane! How is that going to get my powers back?"

Worf glared at the man. "You are not helping. However, if we can accurately predict where these random pockets of energy occur, and if they are indeed yours, we should be able to find some way of retrieving them. The sooner we do, the sooner we can be rid of you."

"Well that's not very nice," Q retorted, his nose wrinkling a bit around the edges as he pushed up to a semi-reclining position. "I want my powers back more than you want me to have them. And I want to be rid of you more than you want to be rid of me. Klingons are even more repulsive than humans. Ugh."

Picard scowled at their behavior. "Silence," he ordered. "We may have to rely on our new friends to find a way to contain this energy. But first, we need to make sure our theory is sound. We're not even sure if there are Ley Lines or how they relate to our current problem, regardless of what may have been previously said."

"That's true," Deanna admitted. "But it's about as good as any theory we currently have to work with. If Hiro believes they exist, chances are good there is some reason to believe they are real."

The captain nodded. "Very well. We'll look into this matter further in the morning. Until then, you are dismissed."

With a bit of a strong hint, Worf escorted Q out of the room, followed by Data. Deanna was about to leave as well but Picard called her back.

"Counselor, have you been able to uncover anything more about our friends?" Picard asked as he faced his colleague.

Deanna let out her breath. "Are you referring to my statement earlier that Hiro seems to be hiding something?" She needed only to look into her captain's eyes to confirm it. "No. I haven't. At least not yet. But there is definitely something he is keeping hidden from us and maybe from his people as well. Whatever it is, he's very good at hiding it. So good, in fact, that I'm not even sure he realizes it."

Picard nodded, though he wasn't sure what to make of that statement. "Thank you, counselor," he said instead as he held the door open for her. "We'll talk more in the morning."

Troi gave a brief nod of acknowledgement before she left the room. She had a lot to think about and not all of it was good.

* * *

 

* * *

By the time Hiro finally managed to head to bed, it was well after two in the morning. Despite that, he'd been able to complete most of his new carbon-fibered suit, minus the space metal. Unfortunately, he'd run out of printing material for the 3D printer before he could finish it. At least he'd managed to get the gauntlets, leg guards, and part of the chest plate, though the helmet and the rest would have to wait.

Feeling rather defeated, he'd returned to his shared room and collapsed on the mattress, still fully clothed. He let the air escape his lungs in a long sigh as he stared up at the darkened ceiling. Definitely not one of his better days, he decided. But at least the previous symptoms had all subsided. That was a good thing. And, with luck, they wouldn't come back, though part of him had the audacity to doubt that.

Baymax waddled into the room, softly closing the door behind him. He'd detected hormonal fluctuations coming from his primary patient. It wasn't too surprising, all things considered. Hiro didn't like it when things happened outside his realm of possibility, and a lot of such incidents had occurred lately. Instead of commenting, however, he remained silent as he stationed himself next to Hiro's bed. It wouldn't do to wake Wasabi.

Hiro turned onto his side, pulling his legs in close, bending them at the knee so he was almost in fetal position. Sometimes he tried to make himself as small as possible to try and cope with the emotions of any given day. And now was no exception. He'd almost lost it out there, before his friends and pulled him back from the abyss. He felt a sense of appreciation that they'd managed to do so before they'd gone out to rescue his aunt. He didn't dare contemplate what would have happened otherwise. It probably would not have ended well.

All the same, things had not gone as he'd imagined they would. They seldom did. But that didn't keep him from trying. He'd made a promise and he wasn't about to break it.

With another sigh, Hiro closed his eyes. There were so many things he needed to do in the morning. If he woke up in time for them. He could always ask Fred to send Heathcliff for more carbon fiber for the printer. But part of him wanted to go out and do it himself. Or at least get away from everything for a little while. He needed space. And time to clear his head. Unfortunately, Hiro also knew his friends wouldn't hear of it, especially not now that they knew what the random energy floating around the city could and would do to him.

It was hopeless. He was just as stuck now as he always was, one wheel spinning while the other didn't even want to turn. And he still couldn't figure out how to make it work.

* * *

 

* * *

Wasabi woke at his usual time. But, unlike the morning before, Hiro was sleeping in his bed, which was a nice change. And it looked like he'd be staying there for quite a while. The little man hadn't even bothered to remove his shoes, something that made Wasabi cringe. At least they weren't contaminating the sheets, not that Wasabi had to worry about washing them. It was the principle of the matter though.

"Good morning, Wasabi," Baymax greeted softly from his station near Hiro's bed.

The physicist yawned as he stretched, doing his best to ignore the sight of Hiro still fully clothed and sleeping on top of the covers. "Morning," he replied. "I see Hiro's still out. Just how late did he stay up this time?"

The robotic nurse contemplated that for a moment. "Hiro entered this room five minutes after two this morning. However, he did not succumb to sleep until closer to four a.m."

Wasabi went to retrieve a fresh pair of clothes from the little dresser next to his borrowed bed. He'd stocked it up once they'd assigned out their respective spaces. Unfortunately, Hiro hadn't done the same with his side. But the physics student liked to be prepared. "Guess he'll be out for a while then," he said as he grabbed his traveler's pouch full of daily necessities, such as shampoo and soap. "I'm going to clean up a bit," he announced as he left the room.

Baymax watched him leave, blinking as the bulky form of the student disappeared behind the door. He then turned his attention back to Hiro. A quick scan indicated the teen was probably dreaming. Despite that, he observed Hiro did not exhibit the classic outward symptoms of REM sleep. However, the robot did detect that his neural transmitter levels were elevated; signifying Hiro might be having a bad dream.

He was about to shake Hiro awake when the door to the bedroom opened once more. Only, instead of Wasabi, Fred poked his head into the room. "Hey, Baymax," the comic-book addict greeted. He glanced around, noticing Hiro out cold as he nodded to himself. "Honey asked me to check in on the little dude. Guess he's still sleeping."

This announcement brought Baymax to the door. "Did Honey Lemon require some assistance?" the healthcare bot inquired.

"Nah," Fred said with a lazy drawl. "She just wanted to make sure he actually went to bed. You know, after all that other craziness that happened, he does have the tendency to stay up longer than he should. But since he's out, I can safely tell her he's asleep and she won't get mad at me."

Baymax tilted his head to one side. "Why would Honey Lemon be mad at you?"

The mascot shrugged. "No reason. Well, later." He gave an errant wave as he left, closing the door behind him.

* * *

 

* * *

Picard met his crew in the breakfast room. It seemed to become the meeting place for everyone involved as he also found four of the six Big Heroes there as well. "Good morning," he greeted them all in turn. It took him a moment to realize Baymax and Hiro weren't there as well, though part of him wasn't entirely surprised. Yesterday had been a trying day.

"Morning," Honey and GoGo answered in yawning voices. Each had a cup of coffee in hand as they buttered toast or scooped up eggs with a fork.

Wasabi nodded in acknowledgment before turning his attention back to his plate of waffles. He'd carefully cut them at precise angles, with his syrup applied in the best possible manner to make sure each waffle had the same amount of sugary liquid. He almost looked like a surgeon as he ate his meal.

Picard tugged a bit at the collar of his jacket, still not used to the change in style from his Federation uniform. The collar kept rubbing against his neck, even though it wasn't all that high. The fabric was not the same as his uniform either, which didn't help.

Data stepped aside so the captain could reach the food on the table, which presented an assortment similar to the morning before. "I was wondering," the android said, looking towards Honey Lemon, "if I might be allowed access to your computer system. There are several theories I would like to investigate and cannot do so without further information."

Honey glanced over to Wasabi and then at Fred and GoGo, who all kind of shrugged. Hiro wasn't there to ask either, but it was Fred's house. "I guess that would be okay," she said a bit hesitantly. "Hiro's still asleep but I don't think he'd mind." At least as long as they left the 3D computer alone, she mentally amended.

Her comment caught both Deanna and Picard's attention as she moved to refill her now empty mug. They exchanged glances, wondering about that just a little. Hiro's absence became all that more obvious with Honey's statement.

"Does Hiro usually sleep this late?" Picard finally asked as he helped himself to some hash browns. The butler had remembered his taste for Earl Grey tea. It was freshly brewed in a pot, which he appreciated. In fact, he thought it tasted better than anything the Enterprise could replicate. There was something to be said for a fresh brew.

GoGo put her coffee mug down and reached for a muffin. "You're lucky to see him up before noon most days," she quipped. "Well, when he doesn't have classes. Luckily, we have a holiday or we'd all be in trouble."

Deanna gave the girl a sidelong glance. "You're all students?"

"Most of us," Honey corrected as she momentarily looked towards Fred. "We're in our final year, though Hiro's only about a year or so behind us."

Fred gave a little wave from his corner of the room. He'd finished his food already and was just chilling while the others finished. "If you want," he spoke up, "when you're done, I can totally take you to a computer." Just like Honey, he didn't think Hiro would like having the android messing with his 3D computer so he planned on taking Data to the library, where a different model resided. Besides, the less they saw of their command center the better.

Data glanced over at the captain who nodded his approval. "If possible, I would like to go now," he said. "As I do not require sustenance, and you appear to be finished, I believe that would be the best course of action."

The mascot made a funny, worm-like movement as he got out of his chair and sauntered towards the door. "No problem. Just follow me." And he led the way out the door, Data following close behind.

"I was hoping we could discuss events over breakfast," Picard spoke up once the door closed. "But with Hiro still asleep, that somehow doesn't seem appropriate at the moment."

GoGo blew on her cup of joe, letting the steam waft upward. "You're right," she agreed over the mug's lip. "Hiro's usually a late night person so he sleeps in most mornings. We probably won't get much out of him until after lunch anyway."

Worf watched the exchange with some interest. The sausages they'd provided were pretty tasty and he ate them with good appetite. He wasn't so sure about the toast, but opted for a strong cup of coffee. It wasn't his typical drink, but he doubted they'd serve alcohol this early in the day, if at all. They didn't seem the type. But, perhaps, he might be able to persuade them to provide some prune juice instead. "If we are going to wait for Hiro to wake up, it would be advisable to find something constructive to do while we wait."

"Agreed," Picard said as he straightened his clothes once more. He'd finished his plate of food, along with his tea. Unfortunately, this wasn't the Enterprise and they still had a lot to learn. At least there was a cart to put their used dishes on, as before. "What would you suggest?" He glanced towards Honey and GoGo. With Hiro absent, he deemed them as the higher ranking officers of the group.

Wasabi polished off his waffles and set his plate on the cart. "Maybe it would be a good idea to discuss what we learned in our groups without him," he advised. "Don't get me wrong. I'm all for waiting, but sometimes it's better to just get things over with. Besides, we can always bring him up to date later." They'd started the night before without their leader. They might as well finish.

Deanna sensed the other girls in the party didn't seem quite comfortable with that idea. If she were in their shoes, she probably would feel the same. "Why don't we wait?" she suggested. "In the meantime, we can have some girl time. And perhaps Captain Picard could visit the library." She'd seen the room earlier on her way down for breakfast.

Honey smiled at that. She had no qualms getting to know Deanna a little more. She wasn't sure how GoGo would take that, since she was the less girly of the two. But when she looked over at her friend, she gave a somewhat interested expression. "Sure," she responded for the both of them. "Wasabi can show Picard the library and we can go do something in the city."

The counselor glanced at Picard to make sure he was okay with that before accepting the invitation. "That sounds lovely," she replied. It fell completely within her original orders of getting to know their hosts a bit more.

The two girls finished off their coffee, giving Deanna a chance to finish her food before heading out of the room. This left Picard with Worf and Wasabi.

"If you do not mind," Worf spoke up, "I would like to accompany you. Perhaps there is a book in this library that will interest me." Though he was not as interested in reading as the captain, it was always possible that he might find something of interest.

Wasabi looked a little hesitant about that. Then a sudden realization hit him as he glanced around the room once more. "Hang on a minute. Where's that Q guy? Wasn't he supposed to be with you?"

Picard instantly turned towards Worf. "Is there something you need to tell me, Lieutenant?"

The Klingon frowned as he stood to attention due to the sudden use of his rank. "My apologies, Captain," he said. "When I woke up this morning, I discovered Q was missing. Neither I or Commander Data know where he went."

"Say what!?" Wasabi all but got into Worf's face before he could say anything else. "How could you let that psycho just get out?! If something bad happened, it will be all your fault!"

The captain also looked less than pleased with this admission. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?" He gave his crew member a reproving look. "I may not approve of the man, but he is one of our own, if only temporarily, and we are charged with keeping an eye on him."

Worf hung his head slightly. "I apologize for not informing you sooner." He had no real excuses and knew none would be accepted even if he had any to give. He alone was to blame for the mess up and would therefore take full responsibility for it.

Wasabi let out a groan. But then he perked up a bit. "Wait a minute. All's not lost. If anyone can find the guy, Baymax can. But that means I'm going to have to wake up Hiro." He cringed inwardly at the thought.

"Make it so," Picard said in a rather tired voice, forgetting he wasn't in charge of the situation. This was the last thing they needed to have happen. And the sooner they rectified it the better.


	19. Just A Dream

Hiro groaned in his sleep. He was running, chasing something. But whatever it was, he couldn't seem to quite grasp it. It was always just out of reach, just out of sight. Why couldn't he grab it? And why couldn't he see what it was? All he knew was that he needed to find it, to stop something from happening. If he didn't, it would be bad, very bad.

Cotton-candy clouds floated all around, going from bright pinks and blues to more sinister-looking colors. And all throughout those clouds swam streamers of darker matter, like a cancer. It crept forward like a complex root system overtaking a garden. And everything it touched seemed to darken in comparison to everything else around it. In a way, it looked like the sky was cracking.

One thing Hiro knew for sure was that he couldn't let those cancerous tangles touch him. If he did, he was done for. Despite that realization, he noticed one reached out to touch his wrist and he twisted away in a panic. Only to see more roots shooting towards him from all sides. almost as if drawn to him. He was trapped.

Another tangle reached for him, caressing his cheek. Pain blossomed behind his eyes as it made contact and he let out a scream as his head felt like it was going to explode. It reminded him, for some odd reason, of rolling down a cement embankment, bashing his head against the concrete before landing face first in water.

_"Hiro?"_

The boy panted as the thing slid further down his body, causing all the nerves to fire off pain receptors. His body arched as he panted for breath, gritting his teeth against the pain. Shouldn't he be drowning? His face pressed down in the soft sand? Why did it hurt so much? And what could he do to stop it?

_"Hiro! Wake up!"_

It felt like someone slapped him, though he couldn't really be sure about that, and his eyes flew open. He lay against the mattress, his body twisted from thrashing around in his sleep. His breath came in short gasps as he stared up at the ceiling with unblinking eyes. His heart pounded out a staccato rhythm like beating drums. And then he coughed like his lungs had filled with liquid, or like he'd swallowed his spit the wrong way. Either was possible. He was breathing pretty hard.

It took Hiro a minute to realize he was no longer inside the Rift, or in the water for that matter, but lying on a bed in Fred's manor. He shuddered as he closed his eyes, the coughing slowly subsiding. "Just a dream," he told himself. "It was just a dream." A few residual coughs escaped his lips as he realized he'd somehow managed to breathe in something he shouldn't.

When he opened his eyes again, a familiar white shape filled his view, leaning a lot closer than usual. "Baymax," he said, still trying to get his body back under control. "Hey, buddy. Something wrong?"

"You appear to be distressed," Baymax observed. "Though your vital signs have stabilized significantly, they are still outside of normal perimeters. Did you have a bad dream?"

Hiro reached out one hand, which connected with one of Baymax's. He grasped one of the inflated fingers like a lifeline. "I was back in the Rift," he confessed. "The cancer inside was spreading." He shuddered again. "And then I was drowning." He didn't know if he could give any more details than that. The very thought of doing so threatened to send the pain shooting through him all over again, and he definitely didn't want that to happen. He already felt pummeled all over.

Both the robot and Hiro's attentions were diverted at the sound of the bedroom door opening. Hiro quickly let go of Baymax's hand and tried to straighten himself out. Lost circulation flowed through his limbs as he moved them to a straight position, sending pins and needles down his legs. He couldn't help but grimace. His throat still felt a bit raw from the whole experience. He didn't want to know what expression was on his face.

Wasabi poked his head into the room almost hesitantly. "Everything alright in here?" he asked as he opened the door all the way and stepped into the room. "I heard screaming."

With a bit of an effort, Hiro sat up, supporting himself with his arms to keep from falling back against the bedding. His dreams seemed to have left his body with no strength. Maybe his blood sugar levels were low again. Anything was possible. Either way, Baymax wasn't saying anything to suggest a cause one way or another. "We're good," he said in a slightly out of breath voice. "Just a bad dream." Then he realized Wasabi wasn't alone. "What's up?"

Worf followed Wasabi into the room, looking just as gruff as usual. "We would like to borrow your robot," he announced without preamble.

That announcement brought Hiro up with a jolt, his body going stiff all over. "What? Why? Did something happen?"

Rolling his eyes a little, Wasabi gave the Klingon a look. This wasn't good for his friend, especially given recent events. "What he means to say is we need Baymax. Q's gone missing and we need to find him before he gets into trouble."

That got Hiro out of bed faster than anything else could. "What?! How did that happen?" He had to reach out to Baymax for support as the blood rushed through his body. At least that's what he told himself had happened. He glanced briefly at the clock on the nightstand. It was a little after nine in the morning. He groaned, realizing he'd definitely not gotten anywhere near enough sleep.

"Q somehow escaped while I was sleeping," Worf informed in a rather grumpy-sounding voice. "Captain Picard requests we find him as soon as possible."

Hiro glanced at Baymax's face, still a bit unsteady on his feet, though he managed to regain his balance and moved his hand away from the vinyl support. "Think you can find him, buddy?"

Baymax straightened from his slight crouching position as Hiro managed to stand upright on his own. "Of course," he replied. "With my super sensor, it should not be difficult."

"Okay," Hiro responded. "Let's go suit up."

But Baymax put out a restraining hand to keep Hiro from accessing the rest of the room. "Before we organize a search, I strongly advise you eat something. It has been over twelve hours since you last ingested any nourishment."

The less than subtle hint was not lost on the boy genius and he let out a groan. At least he wasn't announcing to the world just how far gone he really was. "Really? Is that necessary? We gotta find this guy before he does something we'll all regret." Finding Q was more of a priority. Who knew what kind of trouble he could case?

Sensing that his leader would be more than stubborn, Wasabi stepped forward. "Why don't you go ahead and get suited up and I'll go grab you something from the kitchen," he suggested. That way Hiro could feel productive and they could make sure he ate something. Baymax's hint was not lost on him, though he hoped it was on Worf. It would be like Baymax to say what needed to be said without letting those who weren't supposed to know about it yet know. At least he was learning how to do that, though the execution still needed a little work. "Just don't leave until I get up there. Waiting a few minutes longer to eat something won't hurt you. That and I'm going with you."

Worf allowed his body to fill the doorway. He wasn't sure what was going on but sensed things were not quite as simple as they appeared."I would also like to go with you. There is safety in numbers. Besides, with additional help, it is more likely our mission will succeed quickly."

Hiro's whole body seemed to slump at that announcement. "Come on, guys! We can't all go!" Then an idea struck him. Maybe they didn't all need to fly with him. That would only slow them down. Not to mention, there wouldn't be enough room to bring Q back without problems if they all did fly. "Wouldn't it be better to have you do ground support?" he glanced at Wasabi. "Besides, we'll have to fly pretty high to get a good perch to scan the whole city. Won't we, Baymax?"

The robotic nurse nodded as he turned to the physics student. "That is correct. If I am to effectively scan the city, I will need a high vantage. Your vertigo would be severely triggered."

Wasabi grimaced at that, knowing they were both right, though he wasn't happy that Worf now knew of his shortcoming. "Okay. Fine. But you're not allowed to fly off until Hiro's at least eaten. I'm still going to bring you something," he glared at the boy. "And you're going to eat it before we head down to my van and follow." He paused to point at himself and Worf. "I'll suit up too, just to be safe. That and we can stay in better contact that way."

Hiro let out a defeated sigh. The physicist had him and he knew it. "Okay!" he agreed, though he didn't like. They all really just needed to stop mother-henning him already and let it be. "Come on, Baymax." He pushed past the giant marshmallow, giving Worf a bit of a glare until the Klingon moved so he could pass. Baymax was not far behind him.

"Let's go," Wasabi said as he followed his friends out. "Maybe there's something left in the breakfast room. But we'd better be quick. I know Hiro can weasel his way out of most things and wouldn't put it past him to convince Baymax not to wait." Part of him doubted it would happen, but this was Hiro he was talking about. There was always a way.

* * *

Hiro had just finished putting on his helmet, with Baymax already in his armor, by the time Wasabi and Worf joined them. He didn't even bother mentioning how Wasabi had brought one of their guests into their command center without consulting the others. He was too distressed to really care at the moment. But he took the helmet off when he saw the food his friend brought. Despite his plans on just leaving as soon as all was ready, he couldn't help but feel hungry at the sight of food. It would probably be better to follow Baymax's advice after all, he realized. He had blundered around while putting on his and his friend's armor. Chances were good he'd need the energy anyway.

Wasabi handed him an egg and meat croissant sandwich, which he made no qualms of scarfing down. He'd been hungrier than he'd thought. And knowing Baymax had kept any announcement of low sugar levels to himself, he felt better for it. He chased down the sandwich with a glass of water, and then wiped his face with one hand. "Thanks. I needed that," he said as he put his helmet back on. His gauntlets soon followed.

"Okay. Here's the plan," Hiro began as he caught Worf staring curiously at the equipment in the room. He tried to ignore it. "Baymax and I will scan the city and tell you where Q is. You guys go in the van and find him. We'll keep tabs on him from the air until he's apprehended."

Putting his gear on, Wasabi nodded. He checked his visor, wondering if there was a way he could convince the genius to create headsets they could wear outside of their armor. It would make doing stealth exercises, such as this, easier. They could, of course, use their cell phones, but he only had so many minutes, and his battery only held so much juice. They had no idea how long this would take anyway. And that could pose a problem if they used conventional methods. They could, of course, always go out and buy those earwig things, but they had a limited range, while the communicators in their suits had a larger one.

With a nod to his fellow student, Hiro climbed into Baymax's back. "I hope the others are staying busy," he said as he ducked. Despite the ceiling being higher than normal, he still had to keep an eye open for light fixtures.

"Oh, don't worry," Wasabi replied. "They're keeping busy. And hopefully we'll have Q back before anything else happens." He glanced over at the gear rack, then at the 3D printer, realizing Hiro had grabbed his usual gear instead of the half-finished stuff he'd been working on last night. With a shrug, he headed back towards the stairs. Fingers crossed, they'd be back again before it became an issue. At least this way he was fully geared in case something happened."Let's go," he called over to Worf.

The Klingon waited long enough to see Hiro and Baymax jet out of the sliding roof. Once the ceiling slid back into place, he turned to follow his companion.

* * *

Picard looked around the library in appreciation. As befitted such a building, the library was generous in size. Several reading tables sat near the many shelves, with occasional chairs stationed for the same purpose. The walls were lined with shelves of all shapes and sized. A sliding ladder sat at one end of the room for greater ease of reaching those books above eye level.

"This is quite some place," the captain commented as he took in the view. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Fred with Data sitting at a computer. Since Wasabi had only shown him how to get to the library, he had a lot of questions. Deciding his host was the best to answer them, he walked towards the mascot. "How are the books organized? I was thinking I'd like something from Shakespeare." Chances were good he could look around for hours without finding what he was looking for.

Fred looked up from explaining to Data how the computer worked. "Oh, hey," he greeted. "Didn't see you there." He glanced around at the many books. "Um, let's see. Shakespeare should be somewhere over in the far left corner under the classics." He pointed with one hand before leaning back over the computer station. He could have pointed him to the library index, though most of it was now computerized and he didn't know if he should teach another person how to use the system or not.

Realizing the two men were engrossed in their task, Picard didn't bother them further. Instead, he headed towards the area Fred had pointed out. He briefly wondered at the computer he'd seen them using. It was decidedly a much older model than any he'd seen. But then he had to remind himself they were technically in the past and should expect no less. He just hoped Data would be able to interface with the system just as easily as he did back on the Enterprise.

After a few wrong turns, the captain found the section in question. He nodded in appreciation at the leather-bound tomes he found there. They were expertly tooled with gold lettering. He almost reverently took down one volume and looked for a chair to sit in. It had been some time since he'd last had the opportunity to enjoy such a volume.

* * *

After some fussing, Honey Lemon and GoGo convinced Deanna to go for a walk instead of out on another trip to the center of town. It was funny to realize that only a few months prior, this part of the city had seemed so foreign to them. But now, they knew it almost as well as they did the campus of the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology.

"There's a small park just up ahead," GoGo announced. Part of her wished she'd thought to bring her skates but decided it was probably better she hadn't. There weren't enough to share. Aside from which, they were pretty iconic in nature. Most people who knew of her superhero personae would recognize those skates.

Honey Lemon continued on, Counselor Troi beside her. "Somehow I don't think you wanted to get out just to have some girl time," she commented as they found a bench and sat down. Just the walk to the park seemed to give Deanna a bit of trouble, possibly because she hadn't fully recovered from her concussion yet.

GoGo opted to lean against a nearby tree, her arms folded across her chest as she chewed her gum. "Honey's right. I don't think you wanted to get all girly on us. So what gives?"

Deanna seemed only slightly surprised before she quickly calmed herself. She cradled her injured arm as she sat on the wooden seat. "You're right," she answered. "I was hoping we could talk."

Honey Lemon adjusted her seat so she could look at the counselor with a greater sense of comfort. "What did you want to talk about?" They didn't know each other all that well yet, which meant the older woman might want to talk about just about anything, though she had her suspicions.

"I wanted to ask you about Hiro," Deanna said, looking more serious than they'd seen her before.

GoGo pushed away from the tree and leaned over the injured woman, her arms still folded. "What about Hiro?"

Deanna sighed. "I understand he's recently been under a lot of stress," she began. "It would be impossible for him not to with his aunt being attacked like that. But I sense that it runs much deeper. It may be even too much for him to handle."

Honey gave GoGo a somewhat pointed look. They both knew it was true. But was it really okay to talk about it? Especially with someone they barely knew?

"I'm not going to pretend to understand what'[s going on," the counselor continued. "But I sense it might have something to do with what's happening on now. You see, my mother is a Betazoid. It's a race known for their empathic and telepathic abilities. So when I say I can sense something, I'm not just talking about a gut instinct. There's something bothering Hiro and I believe it might be connected to recent events."

GoGo ran a hand through her dark hair as she stepped back. She took a moment to make sure she'd returned to the tree before leaning back on its trunk. "Guess there's no hiding things if you can read minds," she stated.

Troi gave a somewhat bemused smile. "I'm only half Betazoid," she informed them. "My abilities are nowhere near as strong as a full-blooded Betazoid. I can't read minds, though I can communicate telepathically with some individuals. My skills tend towards the more empathic. I sense emotions more than anything. Emotions and feelings."

"Okay," GoGo said slowly, not sure how to take that. It was better than having her thoughts out in the open for this woman to read but was still disconcerting. "All those random comments make a lot more sense now." It still didn't explain her sudden interest in their leader though.

Honey pursed her lips. She supposed when things were put that way, it all made sense. And if Deanna really could sense emotions, chances were good she'd picked up on a lot more than any of them had realized. "You're right," she finally said. "Hiro _has_ been under a lot of pressure over the last year or two. It started when his brother died and we discovered his death was caused by one of our professors. Then there was the alien entity that could only connect with him, along with a number of other situations."

"Alien entity?" Deanna sat up, her back straightening more than usual. "What kind of entity?" That explained why they hadn't been as surprised about her heritage as they should have been. That and Worf's.

The chemist gave GoGo a pleading look. But when she realized her friend wasn't going to help her out, or couldn't, she continued on. "We're not really sure. It was completely made out of energy and somehow got stuck here on earth. We had to help free it from some really bad people. Then Hiro took it back home."

Troi sensed there was more to it than what she'd been told but decided to not press the issue. She could sense how hesitant both of them were to talk about it and found she wasn't really surprised. "And what about more recent events? I gather those you just related happened some time ago."

GoGo chose to insert herself at this point. "A couple of months ago, we went up against a crazed bomber. Hiro thought he could talk the man down and ended up getting shot. The day we found you was his first day back in action, technically speaking."

"Sounds like he's been through a lot," Deanna observed thoughtfully. If all they'd said, and not said, was true, they'd all gone through a lot lately. That could explain at least part of the emotions she'd felt washing over her. But there was more to it. She wasn't sure why she felt that way, but she did. "Does Hiro talk to any of you about what happened? Or about his feelings?"

Honey shook her head sadly. "No, but I wish he would. Hiro's not the most social person and tends to keep things bottled up inside. We keep trying to give him opportunities to open up, but he won't."

"He talks to Baymax," GoGo observed. "If anyone can get him to talk, it's Baymax."

Hearing that made the counselor feel just a little better. "All the same, I feel he's keeping a lot back," she announced. "It's not healthy for someone to keep that much pressure inside. Eventually it will explode."

GoGo gave Honey a rather pointed look. "He did let it all out. Once. It wasn't pretty," she remembered. "It's not exactly something I want to see again."

"He's been doing so well since we got the group together," Honey commented. "Better than he was before we did. It was actually his idea, you know. Tadashi always told him he needed to do something amazing with his big brain. In the end, he decided to honor his brother by trying to help others."

Deanna nodded. "I think I'm beginning to get a better understanding of your friend," she admitted. "It's never easy feeling outside of everything else, which is something I think he's likely felt for a long time. And since he's never really been a part of anything, he has a hard time letting other people in. It's amazing, really, that he let you in at all."

GoGo simply shrugged. "We have a lot more in common than most people."

Honey's phone vibrated in her pocket and she fished it out. "Oh, goodness!" she declared. "Look at the time!" She tapped in a few commands before swiping away the text she'd received. "We should be getting back."

The counselor couldn't help but give the chemist a questioning look. She wasn't sure about the reasoning behind checking her phone, as she'd learned to call it, but it made her curious. But she caught a flash of the time on the digital face before the girl had deactivated it. "Perhaps you're right," she said as she stood. "I'm sure the others will be wondering where we went."

The Latino nodded as she pocketed her phone. "Maybe they've found something while we were gone," she reasoned, almost as if talking to herself.


	20. What's Going On?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a much longer chapter for you. I just couldn't justify chopping it up so I hope you enjoy!

Hiro leaned over Baymax's massive shoulder as he peered out at the city below. The robot stood on one of the many floating wind turbines that helped power the city. They'd often gone up to one or another of the massive machines to look for someone, or simply because they could. It was a nice place to get away from everything but still feel like a part of something. And it was one of the first places Baymax had taken him after their first test flight.

Carefully, Hiro adjusted his position on the robot's back. Even though the electromagnets were strong, he didn't want to take any chances. A fall from that height would likely end in death by suffocation or heart attack long before he hit the ground. If Baymax didn't catch him first. All the same, he didn't want to press his luck. He'd had too many close encounters already.

"Okay, buddy," Hiro called out. "Let's see if we can find him."

Baymax looked out over the city, executing the program that allowed him to scan every individual in the city almost all at the same time. All he had to do was match one of the people down below with the information stored in his memory. And since he'd scanned Q when they'd first met him, he felt confident he'd find the man with little trouble.

When his first sweep didn't produce anything, the robot turned to face the other end of the city. He had more success from that angle. "I have found Q," he announced as he pointed towards the far end of town.

Hiro squinted, as if he'd be able to see the man from their high vantage. "Details, Baymax," he reminded when he couldn't see anything outside of the towering shapes of buildings and the lower hints of the suburbs beyond.

Reminded that his companion couldn't see like he could, Baymax rattled off the location of their target. "You get that?" Hiro asked over his headset.

"Got it," Wasabi answered. "Heading there now."

Hiro nodded, even though he knew Wasabi couldn't see him. "Good. We'll be over there shortly." He settled back down into a somewhat hunkered position on the robot's back, making sure his electromagnets locked in place. "Okay, Baymax. Let's go."

The robot activated his thrusters and they were off.

* * *

Wasabi turned another corner, getting more annoyed the further from Fred's place they got. Empirical evidence only confirmed what he'd already discovered: Klingons made the worst backseat drivers on the planet. Even though he knew speed probably counted for something, he refused to go above the speed limit. Not to mention he made sure to use the appropriate turn signals, and stopped at every red light, even before it turned red.

For his part, Worf sat in the front passenger seat with his arms folded as he scowled. While he encouraged following rules, there were times were it was appropriate to disregard them. He thought now was one of those times. They had to find Q before he caused more problems.

"Coming up on Third Street," Wasabi reported over his headset. "Still don't see him." He looked from one side of the street to the other as he slowed down just a bit. It wouldn't do to accidentally hit one of the many cars lining the streets. He'd already replaced his small van at least twice. He didn't want to have to do it again. Insurance wasn't cheap, even if it wasn't his fault.

Static sounded over the headset as he hunkered over the steering wheel. "Got it. Take a left. He's somewhere down the next street," Wasabi repeated for Worf's benefit. Or maybe it was for his own. He did show some signs of distress, something Baymax would have commented on if he had been in the car with them.

Overhead, the cherry red figure hovered a good dozen meters in the air. It swooped towards the next block as Wasabi made the turn. And, making a wise move on his part, didn't mention anything about Wasabi's current mental condition.

"That's it," Hiro called over the radio. "Baymax says he should be within a fifty-meter radius of where you currently are."

Wasabi growled. "Can't Baymax be a bit more specific?" He scanned the sidewalks, as small as they were, for signs of the rogue space traveler.

"I am sorry," Baymax said over the headset. "Though I can detect his signature in the area, I am having trouble pinpointing an exact location."

More than a little frustrated, Wasabi found a parking space and pulled in. "We'll have to go on foot then," he decided as he undid his seat belt. "Come on," he called to his companion. "And don't forget to lock your door. This isn't the most savory part of town." Already he was making plans on finding a shower the moment they got back to the manor.

After a little more frustration on Wasabi's part, mostly because Worf didn't know how to work the locking mechanism, they were searching the area on foot. "You know you could always come down and help," the irate student huffed over his communicator. He was momentarily startled when the cherry red robot landed right in front of them. He had to take a step back to regain his composer. "How many times do I have to ask you not to do that!"

"S-sorry!" Hiro apologized as he clambered down from Baymax's back. "Baymax says he should be somewhere just up ahead. There's still something interfering with his sensor though so he's not one hundred percent sure."

Baymax turned towards the direction in question. "I believe he is inside one of the buildings."

Worf shouldered his way past the two students, heading towards the first building with an open door. A sign above the glass advertised something to do with vacuum repairs and sewing machines. He wasn't sure what all that meant but didn't pause to ask either. "Let's go," he urged.

Shrugging, Hiro instructed Baymax to fly to the roof of the building next door so he could keep scanning. That and it would be easier than trying to squish him through the slightly narrow doorway. It didn't help that his armor had become pretty icon and was starting to draw some attention. He instructed the robot to duck out of sight until further notice.

A bell chimed overhead as the three men entered the store. Judging from the merchandise, Hiro correctly guessed it was some kind of crafting boutique specializing in different kinds of sewing machines and related tech. And when he looked towards the back, he thought he saw a familiar mop of brown hair.

Hiro nudged Wasabi. "That's him," he said, indicating the man with a thrust of his chin.

The two strode to the back of the store. Out of the corner of his eye, Wasabi saw Worf following suit, only from the further end. They all converged on the man in question as he turned around, a question on his lips.

Q froze when he saw the three men staring at them. "Ah, yes," he said, then cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I was wondering when you'd catch up with me. But you must agree that it's hardly fair to keep me cooped up in such a drafty old house all the time."

"Wasabi resisted the urge to either face plant or do something similar. "Don't let Fred hear you call it that," he moaned. The house was anything but drafty, unless someone left a window open.

"Q," Worf said in a warning tone. He glared at a sales lady who had gone off for a moment only to return at that exact moment. The woman backed up hastily, retreating to the far corner near a door marked "employees only".

"What?" the man asked, his face a mask of disbelief. "How could you expect me to sit still when there's so much to explore! I was only trying to help!"

Wasabi shook his head, his expression less than friendly. "Sure you were." He took the man by one arm. "Let's go." He was more than ready to be done with this particular mission. He wasn't supposed to be a babysitter.

Q pouted, looking more than a little put out. "But I was just starting to have some fun! And that nice lady over there was explaining to me how this marvelous contraption works!" He pointed at one of the sewing machines that seemed capable of working without human guidance.

"Let's go," Worf said in a tone that brooked no arguments.

The delinquent man let his shoulders sag. "Fine. If you're going to put it like that. Let's go." He rolled his eyes as he passed Hiro. Wasabi and Worf held him on either side, just in case he got any ideas.

As he followed them out the door, the hairs on the back of Hiro's neck stood on end . It wasn't so much a feeling of them being watched. There weren't that many people outside now that Baymax was out of sight. But it was more like static electricity. He felt a faint buzzing begin around his ears that felt all too familiar and he regretted wearing the suit. "No," he whispered. "Not now."

A few curious pedestrians glanced their way; remarking on the characteristic armor Hiro and Wasabi wore. Maybe going in full gear had been a mistake, the boy thought, though the thought was short lived. Pain began to manifest around his chest, reminding him of his recently broken ribs. He couldn't let the masses see him like this. He'd be writhing on the ground soon if this kept up and there was no way he was going to do that in a public place.

Hiro searched for the nearest alley, knowing something bad was decidedly about to happen. He didn't know why, but he felt he needed to get out sight and quickly. Seeing an opening, he dashed towards it like an escaping ferret.

"Hey!" Wasabi called out as his friend made a mad dash for a gap between two buildings across the street. "Wait up!"

But Hiro didn't wait as he all but dived into the open space. "This can't be happening!" he said under his breath as he hurried halfway down the alley before he had to pause. His breath came in hurried pants and he leaned over to try and catch his breath. The pain was getting worse, his lungs constricting as if from some outside pressure. It almost felt like something was trying to squeeze him to death.

A dark shadow filled the entrance of the alley, moving to shroud the boy as he desperately fought for control. "Hiro?"

Hiro turned slightly to see who had entered behind him, his ears popping painfully with pressure. "Baymax?" He let out a gasp as more pain coursed through his body, reminding him even more of being shot in the chest. He curled in on himself as his knees gave out from underneath him, then fell to one side as he lost consciousness.

* * *

Wasabi couldn't help but stare as he entered the alley what could only be considered moments after Baymax did. It was a bit of a tight fit with the robot there, but he managed to squeeze past the armored marshmallow. Only to stop in shock. "What in the…?"

He blinked again, not sure he believed what he saw. It just wasn't possible. He felt sure he'd seen Hiro dash into this specific alley. The fact that Baymax was also there was more than confirmation. Despite that evidence, he found it really hard to believe what his eyes told him. He turned to look back at Baymax. "Is that who I think it is?"

Baymax leaned forward, blinking his eyes as if to adjust them. "Yes," he answered, scanning the area in front of him. "I do not understand how, but that is Hiro. There is no mistake."

Wasabi turned back to stare at the child-no, _toddler_ in front of him. The child wore the same kind of armor Hiro did, only it had somehow shrunk to the much smaller size of the small body wearing it. And the mop of hair had thinned out ever so slightly with the decrease in size, though it was as unruly as ever under the helmet. But how was this even possible? It couldn't be real. He had to be hallucinating, regardless of what Baymax said.

"Let me go, you big oaf!" Q complained from the entrance of the alley. "I want to see what's going on!"

Wasabi turned once more to see Worf and Q starting into the alley. No doubt they were trying to figure out what had just happened as well. Chances were good they couldn't see far into the alley, thanks to Baymax's hulking frame. But that meant any curious pedestrians also couldn't see in. All the same, they needed to get out of there and fast. There were too many people there, which meant they'd be sure to draw a crowd sooner or later, though he suspected it would be sooner. They just had that kind of luck.

A faint wave of dizziness filled Wasabi as he glanced back at the miniature version of their leader, until he remembered how to breathe once more. Was that really Hiro? Even if Baymax thought it was? It wasn't scientifically-or any other way he could think of, honestly- possible."We need to get out of here," he said as he continued to stare, his eyes wide. "Right now." He could feel the start of a panic attack setting in. This situation was so far out of any expected norm that he was having a hard time keeping things together, even though part of him said he needed to do just that.

"If you desire to leave the area immediately, might I suggest flying?" Worf said as he moved a few steps closer to the unconscious baby.

Wasabi gave a nod. "Yeah." He still looked dazed as he motioned for everyone to follow him down the alley. He then turned and picked up mini Hiro, holding him almost like he was a ticking time bomb. "You got this," he told himself as he moved towards the far end of the alley where there was more room. "It's nothing to worry about. It's all perfectly normal. Nothing to it." At the very least, they could move behind the shops so no one could see them.

"Your heart rate has increased dramatically," Baymax observed as they came out of the back end of the alley. A few rusty railings slanted off of cracking concrete stairs and loading docks. But, other than that, the area was deserted, which suited the blade-wielding hero just fine.

Worf noted that Wasabi was visibly shaking from behind. "Would someone please tell me what is going on?" he requested in his usual gruff manner. "Who is that child you are holding? And what happened to Hiro?"

Wasabi turned, his face stricken as he held out the unconscious child, subconsciously bouncing him as he moved. "This! This is what's going on!"

The Klingon took a step back at the raw emotion he saw on the student's face. Then he looked down at the small figure in his arms. The infant looked very much like a younger version of Hiro, though there obviously had to be some kind of mistake. "I do not understand," he confessed.

Baymax moved forward. "Moments before this occurred, I detected an increase in the same type of energy we encountered at the Manor," he informed. "Perhaps that is what caused this unusual phenomenon."

"Are you suggesting Q's powers transformed Hiro into an infant?" Worf wasn't sure if he could believe this or not. But then he caught sight of Q out of the corner of his eye. Seeing a what could be described as a guilty look on the man's face, he turned to confront him full on. "This is your fault," he accused.

Q put his hands up as if to ward off a blow. "How is this _my_ fault?" he complained. "I don't even have my powers! I'm mortal! Remember? Blame the universe if you must, but you can't blame me! I had nothing to do with this!"

Baymax moved to take Hiro from Wasabi's arms. Something told him the physicist was close to losing it and he didn't want to risk him dropping the boy. "Please try to remain calm," he said to the small group. "We will work this out." He just wasn't sure how. After all, it wasn't every day that an individual regressed drastically like this, and not just emotionally. His programming had nothing to fall back on given the circumstances. He would have to deal with things as they happened, knowing there was no database on the planet that could help with this situation.

"What are we going to tell the others?" Wasabi wondered as he put his head in his now empty hands, a headache forming behind his eyes.

* * *

Honey Lemon, GoGo, and Deanna had just returned to the manor when the counselor almost doubled over. The closest to her, Honey ran to support her, wondering if something else had happened to the counselor. "Are you okay?"

Deanna gasped as she clutched one hand against her brace. She shook her head to ward off any further questions while she tried to shut down her empathic senses. "Something's wrong," she finally stated. A sense of dizziness had filled her that she couldn't explain, along with something far more disturbing, which she couldn't shut out. She knew it wasn't coming from anything around her, though it was entirely possible she was feeling what another member of their group was.

GoGo's usual disinterested expression showed hints of concern. "Maybe we should take her to Baymax," she said. "Could be some kind of complication from the concussion."

But Troi shook her head. "It's not me," she said through clenched teeth. The pain was overwhelming and made her feel nauseous.

The chemist's eyes widened as she realized what was going on. "She's sensing someone else." She held the afflicted woman by her shoulders, partly to try and help her stay upright, but partly because worry filled her like a flood. That and she didn't want to further injure her arm by grabbing onto the wounded appendage. "Can you tell us what's happening?"

Deanna closed her eyes. "Pain. Pain and terrible fear." She shuddered as she finally managed to close off whatever connection she had. She shakily straightened under Honey's hands. "Something has gone terribly wrong."

"Do you know who?" GoGo couldn't help but ask. After the raw deal they'd had lately, chances were good it was one of their number. And though she had a basic idea of who it might be, she didn't want to entertain the idea. It almost felt like she'd be making it happen by expecting it.

Troi shook her head. "No." But with the connection closed, her heart returned to a more normal rate, though she still felt off from the event. "It's alright. I'm alright now." She straightened up even more, moving her free hand to her head to stave off the residual dizziness.

Honey reluctantly removed her hands. "We should go find the others. Maybe they know something about what's going on." She didn't remember hearing anything about a disaster in the area. The text she'd gotten at the park was one of those auto-texts social media sometimes sent out. It, too, had not revealed anything to worry about. But she couldn't help but feel, as Deanna did, that something bad had happened.

GoGo was ahead of her, though, as she sauntered up the stairs to the second level of the mansion. Both the library and their respective rooms were up there. Chances were good someone was still in one of those places. "Come on," she urged. "Let's go find out." If nothing else, they'd be able to confirm whether or not it had anything to do with one of their own.

* * *

Wasabi felt like a nervous wreck as he wove his van through traffic. He'd forgotten how busy this section of town could be, mostly because he usually didn't go there during this time of day. Thankfully, he'd been sort of prepared. He'd had a change of clothes stashed in one of the hidden compartments of his van's floor. It was where his gear was now stored. Baymax's armor, unfortunately, was too big to fit and had to be covered up with a blanket from the same compartment. They'd stashed most of it in behind the back seat.

The physicist looked back in his rear view mirror as he waited for the light to turn green. He still couldn't believe it. Sure, Hiro could be a pain sometimes, but this was beyond ridiculous. And even though he'd taken some time to get changed, and to get Baymax out of his armor, the boy still slept. That couldn't be normal, though it had saved them the trouble of having to deal with that and returning to a more "normal" appearance at the same time.

But at least Worf had been willing to go after the necessary clothes in the back of his car. And they'd still been there, though it had taken the Klingon a bit of doing to find them. It had been a while since he'd last checked. They hadn't been necessary for some time. But he doubted driving around with Baymax in full armor would have been a good idea. The robot had already declared he deem it advisable to fly with someone who was practically an infant. Nor did he think the others would do well with the open flying style required to return to the manor on Baymax's back. That and Wasabi didn't trust either Q or Worf to drive his van back there either. Thankfully, once he'd shared his reasoning, the others had agreed.

"This is unreal," the physics student uttered under his breath.

Q sat in the very back, up next to parts of Baymax's armor that didn't fit behind the seat. Worf sat next to Baymax in the middle. The robot took up the space of two people. Since he was holding a rather tiny version of Hiro, Wasabi had thought it best for him to not deflate. But that meant the vinyl-covered robot wore the seat belt while he held the practically-an-infant Hiro in his arms like some kind of airbag or pumped up life preserver. This was so not right on so many levels.

The light turned green without Wasabi noticing and he almost jumped when the car behind him honked loudly. He put his foot to the gas pedal a lot harder than he'd intended, sending them shooting out into the intersection. Letting out a bit of a terrified scream, he pulled over at the first available moment so he could hyperventilate.

_If Tadashi were alive, he'd kill me_ , he thought as he tried to control himself. Unfortunately, it wasn't working all that well.

Q stared out the window with a rather bored expression. "Are we there yet? I can't feel my backside anymore. Is it supposed to be this tight back here? Something's poking me."

"You will remain quiet," Worf admonished in a gruff tone. He didn't speak as loudly as he normally would, however, on account of the sleeping child next to him.

Baymax scanned the hero in the driver's seat. "Take deep breaths," he encouraged. "You are doing well, considering the circumstances."

Wasabi looked back with almost manic eyes. "How can you say that!? Hiro is a FREAKING INFANT! How is any of this okay?!" His seat belt twisted as he tried to get a better angle, almost strangling him. With a loud yell, he disengaged the belt so he could breathe once more. "Even the car is out to get me!"

Realizing Wasabi was headed to a full-out panic attack, Baymax leaned forward to make sure the car was not in gear. It wasn't, thankfully. Wasabi had put it in park, though the engine was still running. "Please try to remain calm," he insisted, still using his usual soothing voice. Wasabi's vitals were decidedly getting more erratic.

"Calm!? CALM!?" Wasabi all but yelled. 'YOU REMAIN CALM! I'M FREAKING OUT HERE!"

Q rolled his eyes. "We can clearly see that," he retorted. "Can we get going already? This is boring. No one likes to see a grown man throw a temper tantrum."

Worf turned to the sarcastic man. "That is enough," he admonished as he reached out with one hand and whacked Q on the head.

Even though it wasn't all that hard, Q recoiled, then put his hands to his face like he'd been deformed. "I can't believe you hit me! Look! I'm bleeding! I'm telling Picard!" He continued to hold his hand to his face, despite the lack of physical evidence suggesting Worf may have broken the skin. There was, however, a decent red mark where he'd made contact with the man's face.

"Enough!" Worf yelled. "Do you want to take this outside?"

Baymax turned his head to look at Worf; realizing things were decidedly getting out of hand. At this rate, they would begin to hurt each other in ways that might not easily be fixed. "Please desist from this behavior," he tried, but the two males nearest him ignored his words.

"Any time, _Klingon_ ," Q sneered. And then he tried to disengage his seat belt, only to fail.

Wasabi's eyes had gone wide at this point as he shook in his head. "JUST STOP! YOU'RE GOING TO WAKE HIRO!"

His words seemed to give both men pause as they all looked towards the sleeping boy in Baymax's lap. Hiro's head had lulled to one side against Baymax's encompassing arms, which held him in place. Even the robot looked down at the sleeping child. And, despite the loud voices, the tot seemed oblivious to anything outside of the back of his eyelids.

Anything else any of them might have said was interrupted by a rather distinctive sound coming from the sidewalk. Well, more like from a gap between two stores, but close enough to count. All eyes turned that direction as a blue light seemed to flash from nowhere.

"Oh no," Wasabi whispered as he pressed his back against his seat. "Not again." He could feel his heart thudding in his chest and wondered just how much longer this could keep up before he really lost it and went into either a catatonic state or simply went crazy.

Worf stared at the pulsing light as something materialized. "What is going on?" He reached towards his hip for the phaser that wasn't there. Picard had insisted they be kept at the manor.

Baymax straightened as he realized what was going on. "It is the Doctor," he announced as he looked almost hopefully in the direction of the light.

No more than a second later, a blue box appeared where an open space had been before. The distinctive features left little doubt to the two Heroes as to its owner. The main question, however, was why was it there.

Feeling somewhat more like his usual self, more because even though it was impossible, the TARDIS was something at least familiar, Wasabi opened his door and walked around the van. He may think the Doctor an odd duck, with no sense of order, but he knew the man was good at fixing things. And if anyone could fix this, he felt sure the Doctor could.

Wasabi straightened his shirt as he strode up to the wooden box. Should he knock? Or should he just wait for the man inside to come out? He wasn't sure so he hesitated, hand halfway raised. He just hoped the others couldn't see just how badly he was shaking.

That's when the door opened and an unfamiliar face poked out. The man standing just inside the TARDIS had somewhat lighter hair than Wasabi had expected. That and the man's hair was also longer and swept towards the right side of his face, even though it came down to his eyes on one side. And his clothes were decidedly different as well. He still wore a suit jacket over a button down shirt, but they were different. And he wore a bow tie instead of a traditional one, with suspenders.

"Hello!" the man called out, almost right in Wasabi's face. "What do you want?"

Wasabi stared. He couldn't help it. This man was so unlike everything he'd come to accept as the Doctor that his brain didn't know how to deal with it. He pointed a shaky finger at the man. "You're not..." and then he swooned.

Seeing his companion go down, Worf exited the vehicle, ready to defend or do whatever else might be necessary. "Wasabi!" he called out as he rounded the van and knelt by the unconscious student's side.

The man in the TARDIS blinked at that and shook his head like a wet dog. "Wait. Wasabi? No. It can't be!" He all but leapt out of the box. The door closed behind him as he knelt on Wasabi's other side. "Is it really you? But if you're here, what happened to Amelia?"

Worf checked Wasabi's pulse before looking up at the strange man beside him. At least his heart was still beating. That was something. "Who are you?" he demanded.

The man seemed a bit taken back by that. "Who am I? Well, I'm the Doctor! Obviously." He gave a funny little quirk of his shoulders as he grinned like an impish child. "Who are you? What are you? I don't think I've encountered your species before. Definitely not human. And not a native of this planet either, if I'm any judge of species."

Before Worf could even answer his questions, the man had whipped out a small cylindrical device which lit up green on one end. He waved it around the Klingon, looking rather confused.

The small device made a funny humming noise, but Worf couldn't feel any ill effects coming from it. Nor did he sense any malicious intent. "I am Lieutenant Worf of the Star ship Enterprise. I am a Klingon."

But it seemed the Doctor had lost interest in the alien as he looked up and down the street as if he expected to see something completely different. "This is wrong, all wrong," he almost whined. "I was only supposed to take a quick turn around the moon and be back in Amelia's garden. She's probably still there, waiting for me with her little suitcase. Or was it a quick ride after I saved the planet once again? Oh bother. It's still all a jumble. I really can't wait for it to sort itself out."

The van door on the other side slid open as Baymax exited the vehicle, carefully carrying Hiro in his arms. He waddled forward, stopping a meter or two away from the TARDIS. "You are the Doctor?" he inquired with a tilt of his head. "Though you appear to have a similar genetic structure as the Doctor, your DNA is not the same. Are you related?"

The Doctor seemed to jump up like a cat leaping from one piece of furniture to another. "Baymax! Oh but it's been a long time! Didn't think you'd be seeing me again, did you? It's me! I'm the Doctor!" He held out his hands like he'd just said "Tadah!" instead of announcing he was a specific person.

Baymax tilted his head to the other side. "I do not understand," he finally admitted.

Then it dawned on the space traveling man. "Oh! Right! I guess it wouldn't, seeing as how I've changed faces again. But you didn't really know about that part, now did you?" He put one hand to his chin in thought. "Didn't expect that. Then again, I didn't expect for the Old Girl to send me gallivanting halfway across the planet either. Could be worse, I suppose. How do I explain this?"

At that moment, Wasabi came back to his senses, groaning as he shook his head and came to a sitting position. "I just had the strangest dream," he muttered, then realized he hadn't been dreaming as he looked up and still saw the TARDIS with another man standing in front of it.

"Do get up, Wasabi," the Doctor said as he moved to one side so the student could stand. "We're making a bit of a scene."

Worf resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "You are the one making a scene," he quipped. "And we still do not know what is going on."

"Right," the Doctor said, clapping his hands together. He still had that rather ridiculous looking grin on his face, one part crazy, two parts excitement. "I'm the Doctor, only not the Doctor you remember. See, my race has this fun little thing we call regeneration where when we're about to die, we can regenerate into a completely different person. Same Doctor, different body, though it does get mixed up a bit sometimes."

Wasabi didn't look totally convinced. "Okay," he said as he got to his feet with Worf's help. "If you're the Doctor, how did we meet?"

The man scratched at his head for a moment. "Hold on a second. It'll come back to me. Oh! Right!" He clapped his hands again. "It was at your friend's place. What's his name again? Fred? That's the one! My companion and I came to find someone who was affected by the alien entity in the area."

Wasabi's mouth fell open. "It is you!" He turned quickly turned to look in the van, only to realize Baymax had already exited the vehicle. "We need your help. Something terrible has happened to Hiro!"

"Eh? Something happened to Hiro?" the Doctor asked. "I thought it odd to see Baymax without him. But who's this little one he's holding?" He pulled out some glasses and peered at the sleeping toddler.

Baymax readjusted his grip on the sleeping youth. "This is Hiro," he supplied. "Something has changed his molecular structure, causing him to revert back to a younger age. Can you reverse it?"

Hearing that, the Doctor peered even closer at the sleeping boy. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver once more and waved it over the sleeping form. Then he straightened up with a bit of a flourish and pocketed the screwdriver and his glasses. "I'm afraid not. Nope. Nothing I can do."

Wasabi wasn't going to take no for an answer and got right up into the man's face. "What do you mean no? You were able to help him last time!"

"Can't," the Doctor said with a shrug. "Unless you find whatever did this, there's nothing I can do."

Q chose that moment to poke his head out of the van. "If you puny humans are finished gadding about, I'd like to go back to my prison," he retorted.

Seeing Q, the Doctor perked up. "Oh? Who's this?" He sauntered over to the car and gave the man inside a good look. "Not a bad hairline. Not sure about that nose, but still not a bad face." He then turned back to Wasabi. "Who is this man?"

Wasabi had to close his eyes to re-gather his mental stability. Things were decidedly going in a less than stellar direction. In fact, he wondered if things weren't getting worse. "Maybe we should just go back to the manor so we can sort this all out. There's a lot going on and I really don't want to talk about it where all these people can hear."

The far from subtle reminder brought several pedestrians and other curious individuals into the limelight. "Right," the Doctor said as he looked around. "Can't have that happening. I'll just step back into the TARDIS and you can drive everyone else to Fred's place in that... what was it called again?"

Wasabi clenched an impatient fist. "It's a car," he said through grit teeth. "Can we go now?"

Taking the hint, Worf returned to his side of the car and climbed it. Baymax also returned to his seat inside, making sure to buckle up before closing the door. The Doctor fiddled with the door of his TARDIS, trying to open it. He let out a huff when the door refused to budge. "On second thought, allow me to come with you." He slid into the front passenger seat while Wasabi climbed back behind the wheel.

"You know," the Doctor said as he looked around at the dashboard, "I think I remember driving something similar to this once. Think I can have another go?" He gave Wasabi a winning smile. But if he'd hoped to get behind the wheel again, he was disappointed.

"No," Wasabi said flatly as he put the car in gear. He couldn't help but wonder how he was going to explain all of this to the rest of the gang. With those thoughts in mind, he pulled back into traffic, heading back to the Manor.


	21. Good and Bad News

Honey Lemon burst into the library looking almost frantic. "Is everyone okay in here?" she called out as her shoulders heaved, heart pounding.

At her outburst, both Data and Fred looked up from the computer. "Whoa," Fred called out. "What's going on? Did something happen?"

Seeing all was well, Honey let out a sigh of relief. "Deanna thought she sensed something wrong," she confessed. "Do you know where everyone else is? I can't seem to find Hiro or the others."

"Just chill for a minute," Fred instructed as he swiveled his chair around. "I'm sure the little dude's around here somewhere. As for Picard, he's over there," he pointed to the far corner, "reading. I think Wasabi and Worf went out."

Having tried to ignore the noise, Picard closed his book and moved to see what was happening. "What's going on?" he asked, seeing Honey and Deanna both in the room, both looking upset.

GoGo put one hand on her hip as she stood behind the other two girls. "We can't find Wasabi, Hiro, Baymax, Worf, or that Q guy," she replied. "Did something happen to them?"

Picard glanced around the room, realizing those gathered hadn't been in the room when Worf had announced Q was missing. "Worf and your friends went in search of Q," he stated. "It would seem he decided to go off on his own when no one was looking." His expression clearly showed his feelings on the matter.

Data looked like he was about to say something but was interrupted by GoGo. "How long ago was that?"

Looking for a clock, the captain tried to estimate in his mind. "I'd say it's been no more than two or three hours since they left. Why do you ask?"

Deanna took that opportunity to speak up. "Only a few minutes ago, I sensed something was wrong. I don't know where or who. I just know someone was in intense pain and that there was a lot of fear involved."

"I'm going to try calling Wasabi," Honey announced as she whipped out her cell phone. Chances were good if the others were out looking for Q, Hiro's hands would be busy and he'd be less likely to answer. Wasabi, on the other hand, was the most likely to answer. She doubted Worf had a phone. And even if he did, she didn't know the number.

The phone rang audibly as she put it on speaker. Finally, after four rings, someone picked up. "Kinda busy here," Wasabi's voice came over the line. He sounded somehow either distracted or distressed. Either was possible.

"Wasabi, what's going on?" Honey Lemon called out as she held the phone in trembling fingers. His tone was decidedly off, like he was fighting something. "Are you okay?"

Several voices spoke up in the background, though they were too overlapped to really understand what was being said until Wasabi's voice came back over the line. "Focusing on driving right now. Gotta go. Talk to you later." Then the line cut off.

GoGo raised one eyebrow as she switched the leg she focused her weight on, making her hips thrust to the other side. "What was that all about?"

Picard looked more than a little confused. "Can someone tell me what is going on?"

Data stood from the computer. "I believe I may be of some assistance," he announced. "Judging from the timbre and quality behind Wasabi's voice, I believe it would be safe to assume he is under some kind of duress. Considering the fact that I could discern Worf and Q arguing in the background, I cannot say I am surprised. However, there was another voice speaking that I could not identify."

"Well, at least we know they found that Q guy," Fred spoke up.

GoGo rolled her eyes. "Okay, so we know those guys are there. But who belongs to that other voice? And where's Baymax and Hiro? Something doesn't feel right."

The captain glanced towards Troi. "Counselor, can you sense anything else?"

Deanna breathed in deeply. "I can try," she said, then opened up her senses once more. But after several long seconds, she shook her head. "There seems to be a lot of confusion. If anything, I'm sensing apprehension. I don't know why."

"If all they were doing was going after Q, they should be heading back here," Fred reasoned. "So we only need to kick back and wait for them to show up. I mean, Wasabi could totally be distressed due to them arguing in the background, or because of the traffic. Guess we'll find out when they get back. I don't know about you, but I could do with some lunch."

* * *

Wasabi pulled up behind the garage of Fred's place, driving so slow Q could have sworn he saw some insipidly slow creature beat them across the concrete. And he made sure to tell the OCD freak as he parked and carefully removed his seat belt. The man's incessant mutterings were decidedly unattractive and disturbing.

"I say," the Doctor said, "where did you find this rather repulsive individual?" He glanced back at Q with a wrinkled nose and a funny quirk in his eyes, almost like he smelled something foul.

Q gave him a nasty look back as he crossed one leg over the other, or tried. Baymax's armor got in the way. "Well, who died and made you immortal?" But the Doctor decided it wasn't worth answering at the moment.

Finally, Wasabi took the key out of the ignition. "Okay. Gotta remain calm," he told himself. "Nothing really to tell here. Hiro just had a little accident but we're working on figuring it out."

"He's an infant," Q retorted as Worf opened his side of the car. "And unless your friends are at least as stupid as you are, they won't fall for that."

Worf exited the vehicle, then walked around to the other side, opening the door for Baymax. The robot ducked out of the vehicle, making sure to keep Hiro from hitting any part of his tiny body against the metal frame. "Out," Worf ordered Q the moment Baymax was clear. "Now. And no more comments."

Fiercely rolling his eyes, Q climbed out of the vehicle. "Well aren't we in a bad mood." His face looked rather like he'd eaten a sour pickle.

"Okay, you can do this," Wasabi continued to talk to himself, almost walking in little circles as the others vacated the car. "Just tell them how it happened. Just get it over as quickly and painlessly as possible."

The Doctor seemed to brighten up at the sight of the Manor. "Would you look at that!" he all but gushed. "Everything's still in order. Now where is everyone else? I'd really like to say hello to them all."

His question seemed to make Wasabi tense up even more. He suddenly threw his hands up in the air like a drunken ninja. "Who am I kidding? I can't do this! Everyone is going to freak out and then they're going to blame me!"

"The best solution to this problem would be to tell them the truth," Baymax spoke up. "They will understand." Before Wasabi could come up with any kind of response, the giant marshmallow waddled towards the back entrance.

Worf took Q by the arm, giving him a look that brooked no arguments. "Let's go."

"Ugh," Q said but went along with Worf's strong strides. It was that or get dragged. He found the idea of being dragged less inviting. "Let's get this over with. You do know you're all in trouble, right?" A low growl filled the air, causing the grumpy man to jump. "Touchy."

Wasabi took one last breath, trying to square his shoulders and failing miserably. "Baymax is right. Best to get this over with." He strode forward, following behind Baymax.

* * *

Fred was just about to bite into a sandwich when the door to the breakfast room opened and Wasabi entered. He absently put the sandwich down at the sight of his friend's obviously unusual demeanor. "Hey man," he greeted. "You okay?" He thought Wasabi looked decidedly pale under his dark skin.

Hearing Fred speak up, the others in the room turned to see who all had joined them. Each was in various stages of either eating or drinking something when the physics student shuffled nervously into the room, followed closely by Worf and Q.

"Uh," Wasabi said, clearly uncomfortable as he shuffled his feet. "Guys, we had a slight complication on the way back from finding Q," he hedged, glancing back at the Klingon as if for emotional support. When nothing seemed forthcoming, he turned back to those in the room, trying to moisten his mouth before continuing. "And, well, I have some good news and some bad news."

GoGo had her legs kicked over the armrest of her chair but she twisted to sit more upright at Wasabi's announced. "What do you mean you have both good and bad news? What's the good news?"

Wasabi gave an almost nervous laugh as he motioned for someone else to enter the room. At his gesture, the Doctor peered around the door frame with a rather childish smile on his face. "Hello!" he waved.

Honey put her cup down as she stared at the man in the doorway. "Wasabi," she said without looking away. "Who is that? And how can that be good news?"

The Doctor all but bounced into the room, except it was more like watching an uncoordinated cat as he wove around the perimeter before stopping near the middle of the room. "Hello, everyone. I'm the Doctor and I'm here to help."

GoGo gave him a rather skeptical look. "You're the Doctor? You look nothing like him."

Wasabi held up a hand. "Now I know what you're thinking," he said, sounding like he wanted nothing more than to sneak out of the room. "But it's really him. He's just a _little_ different, okay? He went through something he calls regeneration, just don't ask me how that works."

"That's me!" The Doctor waved. "Same man, different face."

Fred nodded sagely. "Ah, so it's like when Captain Jack kept dying, except he wasn't really dead. And with a different face. That's cool."

The Enterprise crew, minus Worf, all gave Fred a rather odd look. Picard, however, was the first to speak. Clearing his throat, he stepped away from the table. "I see. What kind of doctor are you, exactly?"

The Doctor merely shrugged in a rather carefree manner. "Oh, all kinds. But mostly, I like to help people."

Honey exchanged a pained glance with GoGo before looking back at Wasabi. "So if that's the good news, what's the bad news?"

Wasabi rubbed the side of his neck, looking uncharacteristically like Tadashi for the briefest of moments, except he looked about ready to pass out. "About that," he shuffled his feet. "We had a bit of a mishap while we were out." He glanced back at the doorway with a nervous nod as Baymax's familiar frame filled the doorway.

Except that it wasn't just Baymax. GoGo slowly rose from her chair as she stared at the small bundle in his arms. "Is that…?" She walked over to get a better look. "How in the world?" She spun on her heels to face her friend, one foot stomping the ground as her body tensed. "Wasabi! Explanation! Now!"

Her tone caused Wasabi to jump like a startled cat. "I have no idea! He ran into an alley and no more than a few seconds later, he'd transformed into this!" He gestured widely towards the sleeping child in Baymax's charge. His entire body shook and he looked even more likely to pass out.

Honey stood from her chair and moved forward as well. Her eyes widened behind her glasses as she recognized the suit, albeit in miniature. And there was no mistaking that mop of hair. "Hiro?"

At that exact moment, the boy groaned in Baymax's arms. Looking rather sleepy, he turned his face towards the room and groggily opened his eyes. "Dashi? That you?" Then, a second later, he seemed to jump inside his own skin as he struggled to be put down, something Baymax did, mostly because he was afraid he'd drop the tot. "What happen?! You gwowed!" Then he realized his voice had somehow changed, along with his ability to speak effectively. He stared at his hands before frantically feeling his body. "What happen me!?"

Seeing the panic set in, Deanna moved forward to kneel by his side. She was only a moment or two slower than Baymax. "The important thing is that we all try to remain calm."

Data strode forward from his position near the far corner, pulling out his tricorder. He scanned the boy with the device. "It would seem that Hiro's molecular structure has somehow reverted to a much younger age. Perhaps it is only a matter of time before his intellect and reasoning do the same."

"What?!" Hiro squeaked, his small chest heaving. He grabbed for the nearest item of comfort, which happened to be one of Baymax's legs. "Not happen!"

Honey Lemon knelt to his eye level. "Hiro, it's okay. We'll figure something out. This can't be permanent."

From his position near the wall, Q rolled his eyes. "What?" he asked as Worf tightened his grasp on his arm. "Oh fine," he huffed. "Chances are good it is reversible," he spoke up. "If I can regain my powers that is."

"Hiro," Baymax said in his most soothing voice. "It will be all right." He picked the boy back up as he spoke. "There. There." His hand almost seemed to smother Hiro's head, despite him taking special care.

Hiro rubbed at one eye, tears starting to leak out. "Don't wanna stay like this! I don't wanna!" He let out a hiccuping sob. "Fix me, Baymax! Fix me?"

All eyes seemed to focus on the tiny tot as he struggled to stay in control of his emotions. Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be much they could do. "I am sorry," Baymax said. "Unless we find a way to restore Q's powers, I do not believe we will be able to return you to your normal state."

The wail that escaped Hiro's tiny lips all but broke Honey's heart. She watched as he buried his face in Baymax's vinyl belly, his whole body shaking with emotion. "This doesn't look good," she worried. "If Hiro's emotional stability has slid this much, how long will it be until his mental stability does the same?"

Wasabi watched the spectacle as though he were viewing a horror movie he couldn't turn away from. "This can't be happening! I was right there! Why couldn't I prevent this?!' He slumped into the nearest chair.

Deanna glanced over at Picard. "Captain, if this continues, I fear everyone's emotional stability will be compromised."

Picard found he had to agree. Looking around, he saw that not only were Honey Lemon and Wasabi looking out of sorts, but so were Fred and GoGo. The adrenaline junky just hid it better. "Everyone just calm down!" he ordered in a stern voice. "All this pointless finger pointing and pity won't change a thing."

His words seemed to shake everyone back to some semblance of rationality. All except for Hiro, though his wails did decrease to quiet sobbing.

"That's better," Picard continued. "Now, I know this is going to be difficult, but if we can all remain calm, we might find a way around this problem."

The silence that followed was interrupted by hand clapping as the Doctor stepped forward. "Bravo! Couldn't have said it better myself! We just all need to remain calm."

Picard couldn't help but stare at the man and his antics. "I know you said you were a doctor, but what does that mean and how exactly do you plan on helping with this situation?"

"Well, I-That is to say-" the Doctor stuttered. "I'm not sure yet, but I'll find a way. Give me some time. After all, I've only just regenerated. Messy things, regenerations. You don't always get everything together right at the first."

Baymax glanced down at Hiro, who continued to hold onto whatever part of the vinyl he could reach. "I will continue to monitor Hiro's condition," he announced. "Perhaps that will give us some pertinent data to reverse these effects. I can at least monitor him to make sure there are no further complications."

"And I'll keep an eye on his emotional and mental state," Deanna added as she straightened from her partial crouching position.

Fred slouched back into his chair. "Well, that's a relief. But I do have a few questions. Since Hiro's kinda turned into a little dude now, who's going to take charge? And what are we going to do in the meantime? I mean, it's not like any of his usual clothes are going to fit, let alone anything else."

Honey reached for Hiro, taking him into her arms. He was just so cute! And he didn't resist the motion either so she bounced him up and down just a little to try and soothe him back to a more calm state. "We'll have to buy some new clothes and some items closer to his size and current needs." She didn't want to mention the possibility of diapers just yet, but knew they might be needed at some point. What age did most toddlers potty train at any way? And would Hiro have to go through that all over again?

"I'll take charge," GoGo announced. "At least for now," she amended at the looks sent her way. Even Hiro looked up at that announcement.

The tot folded his arms as he sort of glared at GoGo. "I in charge! I in charge!" It wasn't that he doubted her ability, but he somehow wanted to assert some form of control in a situation completely out of his control. Unfortunately, it wasn't really working and he knew it.

"And nobody's questioning that, little dude," Fred spoke up. "But we need to make plans. You know, just in case. It'd probably be best if we can all work together, "he added as he glanced at the other adults in the room. "We can't forget the overall goal, getting that guy's power back." He pointed at Q. "Otherwise things might end up being stuck the way they are now." He refrained from saying outright that Hiro would remain a toddler, mostly because he knew if he were in Hiro's shoes, it would only upset him further.

Wasabi breathed a sigh of relief. Things were going a lot more smoothly than he'd anticipated. "Fred's right," he agreed. "The solution to all our problems is finding a way to restore Q's powers.

The Doctor took that moment to wave his hands for attention. "I know I'm just coming in on this, but could someone please explain what all has happened up to this point? And while we're at it, could someone whip up some fish fingers and custard? I'm famished."

Hearing food mentioned, Hiro wiggled in Honey's arms. "Want food!"

"Perhaps it would be best to split into groups," Data suggested. "Those who feel so inclined may look towards Hiro's welfare while the others bring everyone else up to speed on recent events."

Picard nodded at that idea. "Excellent. But first, let's finish lunch. Then we can go our individual ways. I don't know about you, but all this drama has made me quite hungry."


	22. You Must Be Mistaken

Hiro had two things to be grateful for. One, they hadn't cut his sandwich up into teeny tiny little pieces. And two, even though he knew everything about this situation was wrong, his friends were doing their level best to not treat him like the child he now looked and sounded like. He just hoped other things from that era of his childhood would not come back to bite him. After all, he hadn't been fully potty-trained until he was two-and a half. Of course, there was no real way of knowing just what age he'd gone back to, other than a general idea of his body being about the two-year mark. The month part was up for debate.

Honey Lemon sat across from him in Fred's limo as they headed away from the Manor. Baymax held him in his strong, supporting arms. Since they didn't have a car seat for him yet, this was the next best thing, though he rather loathed the idea of having to sit in a kid's seat again. Unfortunately, that was the nature of the beast. He could barely remember being in a car crash around the same time his parents had died. What he remembered of that wasn't pleasant, nor did he want a repeat.

While the "grownups" talked about what was going on, he was stuck in a car, headed to the store to pick up some essentials. The groups were actually relatively evenly split, all things considered. Wasabi had opted to stay behind with GoGo, Picard, Data, Worf, and Q, to explain to the Doctor what was going on. Meanwhile, Hiro was stuck with Fred, Honey Lemon, Baymax and Troi. He supposed it could have been worse.

What really sucked, however, was that even though he could think like himself, and felt like his intellect was intact, he didn't feel like anything else was. His body was decidedly much smaller and less coordinated. And his emotions seemed more volatile. Not that he'd had any tantrums or anything, but he couldn't help but feel frustrated with his inability to control his body like he'd been able to only that morning. That and he found that with less teeth and a smaller mouth, he couldn't communicate the same way either. That and they were no closer to figuring things out than they had been before he reverted into a toddler.

Running his tongue over his teeth, Hiro discovered he was missing most of his molars and a few other smaller teeth. That wasn't going to be fun, especially if he had to go through teething all over again. He didn't really remember much about that period, except that it was painful.

There was another problem. When he'd run for that alley, back when they'd first found Q, he'd felt something he'd never felt before. It had felt like pain but he knew it wasn't. Maybe it was tied in to his transformation. Maybe it was just his imagination. But, for the briefest of moments, he thought he'd felt himself being split up into several different aspects of himself. It was disconcerting on so many levels. What if it hadn't been just a feeling? What if there was more to it than that?

"The first thing we should probably get is some clothes," Honey Lemon said as she looked towards Hiro. She had the same expression on her face that she'd had back at the showcase that had started it all. It was part pity, part maternal. He could just imagine her wanting to cuddle him up into the smallest bundle possible and not let go. And he definitely did not like that idea.

Well, Hiro supposed, if he was going to be mother-henned, which he rather thought would happen, there was no other among his friends he'd rather have do that. Then the thought of Aunt Cass popped into his head. How on earth were they going to explain this to her without freaking her out? Chances were good, the moment she found out, she'd have him rushed to the hospital for fifty million tests. There was no way he was going to let that happen. He had to find an excuse and fast.

"No teh Aunt Cass," Hiro slurred. This lack of teeth thing was bad business, he decided. That and his vocabulary seemed to have shrunk as well. At least so far as the words he could actually speak. His mental capacity seemed just fine. All the same, it was best to keep things simple. They might not understand him otherwise. Who was he kidding? They were already probably having a hard time understanding him! After all, he could no longer pronounce L's or R's properly.

Fred patted him on the arm. "Don't worry, little fella" he assured. "We won't tell her any sooner than we have to. Right, guys?"

Deanna watched the young heroes as various expressions crossed their faces. She almost hated to say it, but it had to be done. "Just so long as everyone understands that telling her might become necessary at some point," she said. "But I agree now would not be a good time."

Hiro pouted at that thought. It wasn't going to get to that point if he had anything to say on the matter. "No teh," he reemphasized with his arms folded snugly across his chest. He could feel an irrational bout of temper threatening to emerge and did his best to squelch it.

The point was left alone as Heathcliff pulled into the parking lot of one of the area's more upscale malls. Since they were using one of the Whitmore's more fancy cars, they'd all decided it would be better that way. At least it wasn't the stretch limo. That thing took up a lot more space. Not to mention Fred swore up and down that this mall had the better deals on children's clothes. And, despite being a gazillionaire, Hiro had to give it to him. The guy preferred to act and dress like a bum, always looking for a deal. They'd all thought he lived under a bridge before discovering the less known side of him.

Fred waited for Heathcliff to open the door before even getting up. It was one of the little things he could do to make his butler's life a little easier. That and he had to be on somewhat good behavior considering the clientele of where they were. It wouldn't do to ruin his parents' reputation.

"I kind of wish we'd just gone to one of those department stores closer to the university," Honey Lemon admitted as she climbed out of the car. The door to the mall was fairly close and included a uniformed doorman. She could see the gold handles as the light flashed off of them from the sun, definitely not her usual area of choice.

Baymax was the next out of the car. He set Hiro down before exiting the vehicle but the moment he was out, he picked the boy up again. "It will be alright," he stated, oblivious to Honey's concerns.

Deanna was the last to exit the vehicle. She was only a little surprised when Heathcliff courteously offered her a steadying hand. She gave him a smile of appreciation. "I don't think it will really matter," she added, "so long as we can get what we need."

Fred all but bounced towards the door, his shirt hanging low over his shorts, making him look even more like a street bum than some rich kid. "This is going to be so cool! I've always wanted a little brother! And now I kind of do!"

Honey gave him a look meant to tell him to calm down, though he missed the message. "Let's just try to not go overboard or anything," she reminded. "After all, we don't know how long this is going to last."

Hiro found he had to agree with that. If he had his way, it would be of a decided short duration. "Et's go," he said, pointing towards the door. He didn't like the idea of shopping any more than Honey apparently did.

* * *

The Doctor nodded as he digested everything the others had just told him about recent events. He had to admit their theories made sense. If these people were indeed from an alternate universe, chances were really good Q's abilities had been stripped to try and equal out the equation. The man clapped his hands together. "So, what's been done to try and solve this debacle?" he asked in an eager tone.

Wasabi and GoGo exchanged glances. The Doctor was acting more like an eager child encountering his first field trip than the man they knew and remembered.

Seeing the two heroes weren't exactly prepared to talk, Picard decided to take it upon himself. "Well," he straightened his shirt out of habit, "we've gathered some information about Ley Lines, right Mr. Data?"

The android looked up from some notes he'd taken. After explaining the usefulness of such a practice, GoGo had found him a notebook to write in. "That is correct," he said. "I was able to find a detailed map of these mythical lines and was in the process of creating a physical copy when we were interrupted. I would like to take the opportunity to complete that before we devise any further plans."

GoGo pursed her lip as she glanced at Wasabi once more. They'd refrained from mentioning certain things earlier, mostly because it wasn't their place to say. And they'd made a promise. But now it seemed like it would be for the best if they opened their mouths. GoGo gave a half nod to Wasabi, trying to hint to him to begin but he missed the hint.

Realizing it was up to her, she let out an exasperated sigh. "There's something else you should know," she spoke up, causing all eyes to turn her direction. "I know the others might get mad at me for saying this, but with Hiro changing into a toddler, it kind of changes things." She gave Wasabi a somewhat apologetic shrug.

"If there's anything that will help me understand what's going on, it should be shared," the Doctor mused. "Can't go out without all the pieces on the board."

With that encouragement, GoGo proceeded to tell them how the energy running rampant was affecting Hiro. She didn't have all the details, nor were they needed at the moment. But at least she could give examples. And with Wasabi's added details from the initial onset, it helped even out the playing field, so to speak.

"Now that _is_ interesting," the Doctor nodded as he listened. "Similar energies affecting the same individual in similar ways. No wonder the universe stripped you of your powers. Why, it could literally tear the whole thing apart to have two of you."

Q started at that thought. "Two? Two of moi? You must be mistaken."

The Doctor shrugged, digging his hands into his pockets. His red suspenders stretched as he rocked back and forth. "It's almost like putting two alpha wolves in the same back yard. It's only natural for them to try and fight it out. Except I thought we'd sent the one back." He looked rather thoughtful about that.

"We are straying from the point," Worf spoke up. "The important thing is to find a way to return this energy to Q, where it belongs. With that accomplished, we can return home."

Looking a bit more distracted, the Doctor walked towards the window of the breakfast room. They'd opted to stay there, since it was easier. "Very true," he agreed. "But there's something I need to take care of first." With that he turned and walked out of the room, much to the shock and surprise of those gathered.

Wasabi jumped to his feet. "Hey! Where do you think you're going!?" He had to almost run to catch up with the man as he strode down the hallway.

"Nothing major," the Doctor called out behind him. "Just a little family matter. Won't take more than a minute." The man stopped halfway down the stairs, looking a little lost. Then, realizing Wasabi was still following him, he turned to face him. "Would you mind lending me your car?"

* * *

After walking through what felt like miles of stores, Hiro gave up on the acting big and tough thing and reached up for Baymax to pick him up once more. He'd tried to tough it out. He really had, but his little body just wasn't up to quite the same rigor as his older, more mature one was. Without thinking, he placed the tips of his first three fingers from his right hand into his mouth and sucked on them.

At least they'd gotten the more necessary stuff, he sighed. He wasn't thrilled about the car seat. Apparently the design had changed since he was last this young. The new version included a lot more belts and buckles. That and Honey Lemon had insisted on buying smaller dinnerware for him, made of plastic in case of accidents. And sippy cups. Boy was he not thrilled with that one. He was even less thrilled when Fred had, very economically, added in a pack of diapers and wipes. He really hoped those would not be necessary.

"Getting sweepy," Hiro admitted with a small yawn. All that walking was taking its toll. They were in the middle of picking out various outfits for him to wear when the tired hit. He'd already rejected several, mostly because they were too cutesy and he wouldn't be caught dead wearing them.

"Maybe it would be best to go with something Hiro would normally wear," Deanna suggested when the fifth outfit was rejected. At least they'd gotten him to agree to a two-part pajama set with little robots on it.

The light seemed to go off in Fred's head as the realization set in. "Oh! Right! Sorry about that, little fella! Of course you want the same kind of clothes!"

After that, it became a little easier to get Hiro's approval. And since it was a more upscale shop, they were a little more accommodating of the circumstances. Hiro didn't have to try on every little thing they brought out for his inspection. A couple of measurements by the saleslady gave them all the information on sizing they needed.

During one of the intervals between approving a pair of pants and a shirt, Hiro found himself on the floor once more. He looked around and spotted something soft and fluffy-looking. When Honey turned around and saw him cuddling with a micro-fleece blanket, she couldn't help but smile. "We'll get that too," she announced.

By the time they'd checked out and Fred had flashed his gold credit card, Hiro had fallen back to sleep. "Oh!" Honey cooed over the little boy as she helped Baymax strap him into his new car seat. "He's so precious!"

"I still say we should have at least gotten him that toddler bed," Fred spoke up as he settled inside the small limo. Most of their purchases fit in the trunk, but a few bags had to sit in the passenger area with them.

Deanna shook her head. "That would have been overdoing it," she said. "One step at a time. Besides, I think he should be fine sleeping in a regular bed so long as someone keeps an eye on him."

Finally satisfied that his young charge was properly secured, Baymax squeezed into the seat next to Hiro. "I will be more than happy to watch Hiro while he sleeps to prevent such an accident from occurring," he announced.

"Sounds good to me," Fred agreed as he leaned back against the cushions. "Now to get back and see what everyone else is doing."

Heathcliff started the engine and had pulled out of his parking space when a blue light began flashing. Fred turned to press his face up against the window, his eyes going wide. "Uh, guys, you're not going to believe this, but I think the TARDIS just materialized in the parking garage."

Not wait for anyone else to react, Fred jabbed a small intercom button and ordered Heathcliff to stop the car. Before the butler could so much as come around to see what was going on, the mascot had thrown the door open and was running across the asphalt towards the distinctive blue box sitting under a staircase.

More than a little curious, Honey Lemon followed him, though at a much slower pace. "I thought the Doctor was back at your place," she said when she caught up with Fred.

The door to the TARDIS suddenly flew open as a man with dark hair, wearing a dark blue suit and jacket stepped out, looking frantic. He stopped when he saw Fred and all but ran up to him. "I came as soon as I could," he announced in a rather serious but breathless tone. "I would have been here sooner but the Ol' Girl gave me a bit of trouble."

Honey stared. She couldn't help it. There was no denying it. This was the Doctor. The Doctor she remembered. But why was he here when his newer incarnation should be back at the manor?

* * *

Wasabi cringed as the Doctor instructed him to turn into the parking garage of one of the most expensive malls in San Fransokyo. "What in the world could you possibly want here?" he all but shouted, trying to understand what all was going on. The mad man with a box hadn't exactly been very forthcoming in his answers, merely staring out the front window with a rather determined look on his face.

"Turn here," the Doctor instructed. "Right here!" He all but grabbed the wheel when Wasabi didn't turn fast enough.

Feeling more than a little panicked, Wasabi slammed on the brakes. "What is wrong with you!?" He was about to continue on that line when he realized where they were and what was in front of them. "How? When?"

"What, where, and why," the Doctor finished for him. "Yes, all very good questions. But if you'd put the car in park, that will get us closer to them. Or would you prefer to just sit here and idle the time away?"

Wasabi was too busy with his mouth hanging open to really reply to that but he wisely put the car in park. Almost mechanically, he turned off the ignition and took out the key. "What in the world is going on here?"

No more than a dozen or so meters from where he'd parked, illegally, sat Fred's limo. But only a few meters further than that, under a stairway in the parking garage, sat a very familiar blue box. And standing just in front of that was an even more familiar figure with dark brown hair.

Wasabi opened his door and stepped out of the car, his expression more than dazed as he walked towards the group standing in front of the TARDIS. "Uh guys? What's going on?"

Hearing Wasabi's voice, Honey Lemon turned around from staring at the Doctor. "Wasabi? Is something wrong? What are you doing here?"

The physicist pointed a shaky figure at the Doctor, his mouth gaping open like a fish. "You... you..."

"And hello to you too, Wasabi," the Doctor greeted cheerfully. He rocked back on his heels with a rather pleased expression on his face, hands stuffed in his pockets. The shock of brown hair was just as messy as ever, though it still managed to look like it was supposed to be that way. And the blue suit was decidedly the same one from their previous encounters.

Then the Doctor looked over the physics student's shoulder and seemed to stiffen a bit. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his expression going more serious, with just enough of a hint of confusion to make everyone wonder the same thing.

The other Doctor sauntered over, his hands in his pockets, though he took them out to straighten his bow tie. "I might ask you the same question," he replied. "What are you doing here?"

Baymax moved out of the limo and waddled over. "There seems to be something wrong with my sensor," he said as he looked between the two Doctors.

"No. Nothing's wrong with it," the darker-haired Doctor said as he continued to stare at his other incarnation. "What you're seeing is real. But why he's here is beyond me. I thought I'd seen the last of you after that one meeting."

Those words seemed to give the other Doctor pause. "What other meeting? This is the first time I've actually met you in the flesh. A bit weird, too, if you ask me." He moved closer as he began to circle his counterpart. "Just answer the question. Why did you come here?"

"Why did you come here?" The older looking Doctor countered. "I sensed a disturbance coming from this area and came to check it out. What's your excuse?"

The younger looking Doctor seemed a bit taken back by that statement. "Well, that is… I went to take the TARDIS on a bit of a run. You know, a quick trip around the moon and back again. I was supposed to be back with Amy Pond, but apparently the ol' Girl had other plans."

The two smiled as if sharing some private joke. "She always did know when and where to send a person," the blue-clad one said.

"Excuse me," Honey Lemon spoke up, "Just what is going on?" She shuffled a bit nervously. She'd just accepted the fact that the Doctor had changed, but now there were two of them standing practically next to each other.

Both Doctors turned with somewhat raffish grins. "Well, you see, what happened is..." "If you'd just give me a second to explain..." they said at the same time.

"Why don't you let me explain?" the one with the bow tie asked. "I am the older of the two of us."

Deanna had joined them by this time, wondering what was going on. She'd made a quick check on Hiro to make sure he was still asleep before exiting the car. "Who is this person?" She pointed to the blue-clad Doctor. For whatever reason, she thought she felt the same thing coming from the both of them, something deeper than just the typical feeling.

Fred all but jumped up and down as he realized what was going on. "Oh, this so cool! We have two Doctors!"

"Two?" The counselor looked somewhat confused. She then glanced at the blue box behind the both of them.

The two Doctors exchanged knowing glances. Almost as one, they spoke once more. "Time Lord."

"It's a bit wibbly wobbly," the second one continued, only to have the other finish with "timey whimey."

Deanna looked like she might have a headache forming behind her eyes so Baymax decided to try and take matters into his own. "I do not understand myself," he admitted, "but these two men are the same person."

But before any further explanations could be offered, Hiro called out sleepily from the still open limo. "Whewe evy go?" He sounded more than a little groggy.

The Doctor in the blue leaned towards the open door with a curious expression. "Who's that? I didn't think any of you had any children."

Fred and Honey Lemon exchanged glances this time. "We don't," Fred answered first. "That's Hiro."

Looking more than a little confused, the Doctor moved towards the car and peered in. "Nah," he said, pulling back. "It can't be." But then he leaned forward again for another closer look. "Hiro?"

Hiro reached his arms out from behind the bundle of buckles and straps. "Docta? Tat you?"

"Hiro?" The man pulled back, then turned to stare at the other Doctor. "That's Hiro?"

With a rather silly smile, the other Doctor nodded. "Yep. That's Hiro. Seems he got zapped by some kind of energy brought to this universe by an alien entity with similar abilities to the Makt, which, of course-"

"Disrupted the natural flow of this universe," the blue-clad Doctor finished. "No wonder the TARDIS brought me here! Why, this is terrible. Do you have any idea what this means?"

Wasabi chose that moment to step back into the conversation. "No, we don't! But it sure would be nice if someone told us!"

"It means," one Doctor started, "the two universes are connected, which wasn't meant to happen," the other finished. "They're trying to cancel each other out."

Honey bit her lip. "That doesn't sound good."

"It's not," the bow-tied Doctor said. "But I believe the energy may continue to try and gather around some point of mutual contact."

The other Doctor nodded. "Makes sense. If only we had another one of those inhibitors, it could help cancel out that possibility. That or we could rewire it to attract the energy instead." He looked sharply at his newer incarnation. "You don't happen to have one, do you?"

Bow tie shook his head. "We gave the last one to his brother. Remember?"

Both seemed to muddle over that for a moment. "We could always make another. But if the energy's different enough, it won't work. That and it might take too long. We'll have to find a pocket to be sure. Of course, we could both be completely wrong about that."

"Would one of you say something that actually makes sense?" Wasabi complained.

Hiro squirmed in his seat, trying to undo the buckles, but his little fingers didn't have the strength. "Want out!"

Honey moved towards the limo, ready to duck inside. "Maybe we should finish this discussion back at the Manor," she worried. "Hiro sounds like he might start getting cranky soon. And we still have a lot of shopping to unload."

Realizing the chemist was right, Deanna strode forward to take charge. "Honey Lemon's right. Besides, I think we might end up with a few more in our group we weren't expecting if we don't move on." She nodded towards two security guards heading their way.

Taking the point, Fred nodded. "Yeah, let's just head back. I'm sure the others will want to know what's going on."

The two Doctors nodded at each other, both heading towards the TARDIS before the one realized it wasn't his. "Oh, sorry," he apologized. "Do you mind if I-?"

"Not at all," the other Doctor answered. "Best not to leave her just sitting around, if you know what I mean." The two shared a laugh as they entered the blue box and closed the door behind them.

Wasabi stared as the TARDIS dematerialized, and then remembered he'd driven the one Doctor to the scene. He groaned inwardly. "They'll probably beat us back there," he complained.

"Then we better get going," Honey pointed out as she ushered Wasabi back to his van. "I'll ride with you." She thought it might be better that way. After all, Wasabi was exhibiting some of the symptoms classic to his usual panic attacks. She'd offer to drive but knew he wouldn't accept it.

Deanna got back into the limo, followed by Baymax and Fred. Closing the doors, both cars headed back to the manor.


	23. Except For Hiro

By the time the group returned to Fred's place, Hiro was more than fed up with the car seat. He scowled as he folded his little arms across the chest buckles, refusing to look at anyone in the car. This was far from anything he would ever remotely call fun. Even Deanna and Baymax had trouble soothing him back to some semblance of calm.

"Sounds like the little dude needed a longer nap," Fred commented as he watched Hiro swing his legs in a decidedly agitated manner. The pout didn't help.

Hiro growled as he glared at the mascot. "No me nap! You nap!"

Deanna let out a sigh as she took in the small boy's current state. "That's not really helpful," she commented. Hiro's emotional state seemed on the verge of becoming far from stable and she wanted to avoid that as much as possible. "No one's going to force you to take a nap," she soothed the irate child. She moved to undo the buckles, accidentally pinching Hiro's skin in the process.

"Ow! Ow!" Hiro howled, and then he burst into tears.

When Fred looked on with an incredulous face, Baymax decided to come to his young charge's defense. "Younger children have more sensitive skin," he stated. "What Hiro needs is comfort."

Finally free of the stupid chair, Hiro launched himself at Baymax's chest, where he clung to the vinyl belly like a monkey. He held out his injured arm, showing the slight welt where he'd been pinched. "Owie!" he announced. For the briefest of moments, all rational thought slipped from his mind.

While Baymax made random motions meant to sooth the crying tot, the others exited the vehicle and looked around. Wasabi had pulled up next to the limo and he and Honey Lemon both climbed out of the vehicle. "What in the world?" Wasabi asked at the sound of Hiro's wailing. "Okay, who did what to Hiro?"

The next moment, Hiro was giggling as Baymax tickled his tummy with one vinyl finger. "Stop! Stop!" But when the robot ceased his tickling, the little boy looked at him like he was crazy. "Mow! Mow!"

Wasabi couldn't help but stare in shock at this rather unusual display. Part of him couldn't help but wonder if the energy hadn't made him bipolar on top of everything else. "Is it just me or is Hiro acting and sounding more like a two-year-old?"

"It's not just you," the Doctor whispered in his ear, his light brown hair momentarily brushing against the man's cheek as his bow tie knocked into his shoulder.

Deanna folded her arms as Wasabi jumped. That man with the bow tie was sometimes more childish than most teenagers she knew. "It's not entirely surprising, given the circumstances. Hiro's mind is trying to cope with the changes made to his body. It has no point of reference to draw upon except previous experiences at that age. Unfortunately, the chances that he'll continue to regress are high. The important thing is for us to not make a big deal about it and to try and treat him no more differently than before. While he may look and behave like a child, his intellect and everything that makes Hiro who he is, is still in there somewhere."

"Couldn't have said it better myself," the blue-clad Doctor said as he strode over to the group. "No one likes to be treated like someone younger than they are inside. That being said, certain precautions might still need to be kept. You know, for the sake of his size and decreased motor skills. And you will need to be prepared for stronger emotional reactions. With more limitations than he's used to, he'll have to resort to different ways to try and get across what he wants to tell us."

Baymax continued to tickle Hiro as he headed into the mansion. Gales of laughter filled the air as the little boy squirmed. The sound immediately stopped once the robot walked through the door and Hiro's little voice could be heard in the sudden silence. "Uh oh." There was a slight pause before he continued in a more chagrined tone. "Wet."

Honey Lemon gave a rather awkward smile as she reached for the shopping bag with the diapers in it. "Sounds like it was a good thing we got these," she said as she went to Baymax's rescue.

"Did Hiro really just do what I think he did?" Wasabi asked as he watched Honey Lemon dash towards the door, and then lead Baymax out of sight.

Both Doctors were suddenly preoccupied with scratching their heads or looking around at random. One of them even whistled a little.

Deanna rolled her eyes at their antics. Clearly neither one of them had ever had to change a diaper. "Shall we go inside?" she asked, indicating they should head in. "I'm sure Captain Picard and the others will want hear about the latest developments." With that, she turned on her heels and headed for the door.

* * *

Hiro couldn't help but turn beet red the moment he realized what he'd done. There he was, having a perfectly good time with Baymax, being tickled like he hadn't in years, and his bladder had to betray him. After declaring what he'd accidentally done, he couldn't help but feel mortally embarrassed. "Sowy Baymax."

The robot looked down at Hiro as he held him up at arm's length to assess the damage. "It is alright," the robotic nurse assured. Thankfully, there hadn't been enough to make a mess on the floor, but there was still a sizeable wet spot on the boy's pants.

Then Honey Lemon was there, leading the two of them off to one side. "Hiro, it's fine," she assured him. "It happens to the best of us, okay?"

The bag she'd brought slapped against her thigh and Hiro couldn't help but notice its contents. "No diapew!" he protested. "No want!"

Honey couldn't help but feel her heart melt at his plight. She had no idea how he must be feeling but knew it must be terrible. "It's okay," she reassured. "I know you don't like the idea, but we forgot to get you any actual underwear. This will have to do for now. Do you want me or Baymax to help you get cleaned up?"

Looking slightly mollified, though totally beet red from the question she'd asked, Hiro had to think about his options. It would be even more embarrassing for Honey to see his nether regions, though he knew she wouldn't judge. "Baymax," he finally answered. He wasn't sure just how dexterous the robot could be. They'd never tested his abilities on diaper changing. Well, now was just as good a time as any, he supposed.

"Pardon me," Heathcliff called out as he joined the small party. "But I believe you will be needing this." He held out another shopping bag with clothes in it.

Honey couldn't help but hug the man as she accepted the bag. "Thank you!" She had to quicken her step to catch up to Baymax as the robot hadn't stopped while the butler had given her the bag.

By the time she'd caught up with the mismatched pair, Baymax had reached the first available bathroom. Once inside, he set Hiro down and turned to Honey Lemon. "I believe Hiro would like some privacy," he said, reminding her to give him both bags. He shut the door once she had.

While she waited, Honey looked around to see where the others had gone. She wasn't too surprise to see one or two trailing up the stairs at the far end of the hallway. But what surprised her more was seeing GoGo head her way.

The adrenaline junky gave a thrust of her chin in greeting. "Hey. Hiro in there?" she asked as she indicated the bathroom door. "I saw the others were back so I figured I'd check in on him."

Honey couldn't help but look a little embarrassed as she glanced at the door, wondering how the two were doing in there. "He's changing into his new clothes right now," she hedged, not wanting to spread Hiro's misfortune to everyone in the party. She doubted he'd appreciate everyone knowing he'd had an accident. She knew she wouldn't.

She needn't have bothered trying to cover up as Heathcliff returned with a cleaning towel. He presented the item to her with a slight bow. "I believe your friend may need this." Towel delivered, he turned and walked away.

GoGo couldn't help but stare after the butler as she put the data together in her head. "Wait, did Hiro have an accident?"

"Shh!" Honey urged, putting one finger to her lips urgently. "I don't think he wants everyone to know. It's embarrassing enough as is."

A pink bubble formed between GoGo's lips, then popped. "I don't see why he's so embarrassed about it. Happens to the best of us," she said in a rather disinterested tone. Inside, however, she knew exactly how Hiro must feel. She'd had a few accidents when she'd been in elementary school. The kids had made fun of her, but she'd gotten back at them in other ways. Now she was the one having the last laugh.

"No problem," the mechanical engineer said as she popped another bubble. "But you might want to give Fred the same warning. I think I heard him telling his butler, though not in those same words." She glanced back the way she'd come. "Better yet, I think I will." She sauntered off, her hips swinging.

Honey couldn't help but let out half a grimace, wondering just what her friend was going to do. But her musings were interrupted when the bathroom door opened again and Hiro walked out. She held out the towel to Baymax. "Here," she said. "Heathcliff thought you might need it."

Baymax accepted the towel without comment as he returned to the bathroom. The door closed while he cleaned up the mess inside, depositing Hiro's dirty clothes inside the towel before exiting once more.

"Feeling better?" Honey asked Hiro as she bent down to his eye level. She really did feel bad for him and her eyes watered just a bit at the thought of how she'd feel in his shoes. Without warning, she wrapped him up into a big hug. "Oh! You're so precious!"

Hiro struggled in her arms. "Not pwecious! Want juice!" It was something he'd always enjoyed as a child, and part of him couldn't help but wonder at the request, but chose to ignore it. There were worse parts of childhood he could relive.

Laughing a little, Honey ended the hug. She stood and reached down for his tiny hand, realizing he needed a moment of independence, with a dash of comfort. She had to bend a bit because he was that much shorter than her, but that was alright with her. "Come on," she urged. "Let's go find you some juice."

* * *

"Things are getting more than a little out of hand," Picard complained. Having Wasabi and the Doctor leaving in the middle of an important discussion had been more than a little frustrating. But to learn that there were actually two Doctors was even more so. He just hoped things wouldn't get any worse.

During the interim between the Doctor leaving and returning, he'd requested Data finish his map of the Ley Lines. It was at least something they could do since GoGo refused to instigate any further investigations until the others got back. And, thanks to the android's speed, that had been accomplished rather quickly. He'd made several copies, in fact. Just to be safe.

While he was doing that, Worf took Q aside and gave him a very stern lecture. The man had pouted ever since, refusing to talk to anyone. Worf had volunteered to shadow him to make sure he didn't get into any more trouble. Which left Picard to his own devices once more. So he'd gone back to his book of Shakespeare in the library.

But now that everyone was back, things were getting more complicated. It was hard to think, let alone see straight with everything going on. And he'd thought being captain of a galaxy class star ship had been stressful!

Hiro tottered across the room, almost beaning himself on one of the chairs as he tripped on the edge of a rug right in front of the captain. Seeing the lad as a teenager had been unnerving enough. Seeing him as a toddler was more than he felt able to handle at the moment.

"Would someone please find something to keep this young man occupied?" Picard all but yelled. It wasn't that he didn't like children. The jury was still out on that. He just didn't know how to relate to them, especially not the really young ones. And even though he knew a more mature Hiro lurked somewhere inside that tiny body, the fact that he was this small only served to make him that much harder to take seriously.

Honey Lemon went to retrieve Hiro before he could get himself into a bigger mess. She knew it wasn't his fault. He just wanted to be involved. The Ley Line map Data had created was on the table where he'd been headed. Maybe he'd wanted to take a loot at that.

"Why don't we find you something else to do?" Deanna suggested when she saw the small boy reaching for the large sheets of paper on the table as Honey moved him away from the immediate area.

Data watched this display with a curious expression on his face as he tilted his head this way and that. "Counselor Troi, perhaps Hiro merely wants to look at the map," he suggested, echoing Honey's thoughts. "I do not mind. I did make several copies."

Honey Lemon moved close enough to the table that Hiro easily managed to grab the top sheet, pulling it free from the pile. Unfortunately, several of the sheets lying underneath came down with it, scattering to the floor.

Picard let out an exclamation of dismay, his expression showing more anger and frustration than he'd intended. And it was all directed at the tot in Honey's arms. Hiro could feel the intensity of it and burst into irrational tears.

Deanna moved over to Honey and whispered in her ear. "Why don't you take Hiro into another room while we sort things out?" She gave a subtle nod towards Picard as reason, knowing it likely her commanding officer would lose it soon if something wasn't done.

Honey took the hint and carried the fussy child out of the room. "Sorry, Hiro, but it looks like we need to let them cool down a little," she said in a rather apologetic tone. She knew he wasn't trying to be difficult, though she had no idea what he wanted with the Ley Line map either. She looked around; hoping to spot Baymax, only to realize the robot had already fallen in step behind her. If anyone could get Hiro smiling again, it was Baymax.

Reasoning Hiro might just be bored, Honey decided to take him to an area she felt he wouldn't get into too much trouble, the library. There were plenty of low tables he could sit at, if he chose. That and the floors were hard enough he could put his map on the floor and color on it if he wanted. He'd just need something to color with.

Once inside the library, Honey set Hiro down. "Okay, Hiro, I'm going to go find some pencils or crayons or something. You're going to stay here with Baymax until things calm down. Do you need anything else while I'm gone?"

Hiro seemed to think about that for a moment, the map scrunched up in his hands. "Papew?" He looked up with almost puppy dog eyes. "Juice?"

She couldn't help but smile at him maternally. "Okay. I'll get you more paper and something to drink." She watched him toddle over towards the nearest table with his map dragging behind him. The map was on a large sheet, after all. She supposed Fred kept the blue print-sized papers somewhere, just in case.

By the time Honey returned with a pad of paper, crayons, a sippy cup full of a juice, and Hiro's blanket, the small boy had managed to drag his map closer to the computer and was smoothing it out on the floor. Apparently he hadn't been able to reach the table after all. She took a moment to just stand back and watch him as he tried to remove the crinkles his small hands had put in the paper. Then, remembering the others were likely waiting for her, she stepped forward.

"Here are some crayons and your juice," Honey offered, setting them down next to Hiro. Seeing the two were more or less settled (Baymax had gotten down onto the floor as well), she felt secure in leaving them for the time being. She gave a little wave as she left the room, pausing only for a moment to look back before leaving.

* * *

After hashing ideas around over and over again, Wasabi felt like his brain was starting to melt. He couldn't even begin to count how many times they'd gone over the information they did have, albeit each individual with their own opinions added in.

The point of the matter remained. They were no closer to figuring out how to fix things than they had been when it all started. Their guests from an alternate universe were still just as stuck. Hiro was still stuck as a toddler, and they hadn't come closer to any means of predicting when the next bout of energy would strike.

"This is getting us nowhere," Wasabi finally said as he threw his hands up in the air. "Ley Lines, alien tech. The circle just keeps going around and around. We don't even know if we're on the right track!"

The blue-clad Doctor had to agree. "True. But we do know some very fundamental things. Even if this energy isn't the power of Q running rampant, it is somehow still connected. Didn't we tell you earlier? Your two realities have collided, and in ways they were never meant to. It's not like when Rose went over to an alternate dimension through a portal. The two dimensions seem like they're actually trying to switch places. That, I think, is why all the chaos is happening."

"Makes sense," GoGo said from her seat. They'd opted to move the meeting into the drawing room where they could all sit in comfortable chairs, a table out in front of them.

The Ley Line map still sat on the table, though no one was really paying it any attention at the moment. Because what the Doctors said made sense. Kinda.

Bow tie stood and walked around the table. "I still think the Ley Lines are somehow connected," he admitted. "Do you think it's possible the energy from the Rift is being drawn out into this dimension, trying to purge the alien threat? We all know Ley Lines are conduits of energy. Why wouldn't they attract whatever's trying to balance things out?"

The two Doctors stared at the table, musing. One had his hand to his chin, glasses in place, while the other also had his hand on chin but no glasses. And both were frowning.

Picard counted to five in his head. How was it possible that two people, who supposedly were the same person, could have two completely different ideas about what was going on? It was giving him a headache. And he'd thought dealing with just the one had been bad.

"Theoretically," Data spoke up, "both theories are possible. However, if I were to calculate the odds accurately, I would require more information about the Rift you keep mentioning."

Bow tie Doctor gave an errant wave of his hand. "Everyone knows about the Rift," he said with a decided air of distraction. "It's that space between time and space. It exists but it doesn't. Those who travel between time and space barely touch it. Those who stay longer usually end up dead or insane."

"Except for Hiro," the other Doctor reminded. Then his eyes lit up with a kind of comprehension. "Except for Hiro!" he repeated more excitedly, dancing a little jig.

Deanna wasn't sure she understood the emotions she felt coming from the two strangers. The excitement was obvious, but she still didn't see how it all made sense. "What does Hiro have to do with this?"

"Well, you see-" one Doctor started.

"Hiro's actually been inside the Rift on multiple occasions," the other finished. "In fact, probably more times than he can remember."

"It's no wonder he's acting like a giant magnet for this energy!" the first exclaimed "He's like a giant dowsing rod for energy!"

Fred took that moment to stand up from the couch. "Now wait just a minute. What do you mean when you say Hiro's been in the Rift more times than he can remember? I can count them off on one hand." He held up two fingers. "See? The first time was when he went in after Abigail. And the other was when he took that alien thing home after you showed up the first time."

Honey looked around, her expression worried. "Fred's right. Unless you're telling us there are more times that not even we know about."

The two Doctors exchanged rather guilty looks. "Well, we're not really at liberty to say," the one with the bow tie began.

"Because, strictly speaking," the other continued, "they didn't exactly happen."

GoGo straightened in her seat. "What do you mean they didn't exactly happen? Either they did or they didn't. Which is it?"

"We can't tell you," the two Doctors said as one.

They were saved from having to explain further by Heathcliff entering the room. "Dinner is served," the butler announced in his clipped accent.

Fred all but jumped towards the door. "Good! I'm starving!"

Picard sighed. "This isn't over," he reminded everyone as he stood and straightened out his clothes. "We still have to get to the bottom of this matter."

Deanna moved to her captain's side. "Perhaps we should let it go for now," she advised as she fell into step with him. "I sense that whatever those two are holding back might have some devastating consequences. Besides, we're not even sure if it's related to what's going on now."

The captain put one hand to his aching temple. "True enough," he agreed reluctantly. "I suppose someone should go inform the others we're having dinner."

Wasabi moved towards the door. "I volunteer to get Worf and Q," he said. That way he could still keep an eye on the guy. There was just something shady about Q that he still very much did not like. He was just glad Worf had decided to keep him out of everyone else's way.

"And I'll go and get Hiro," Honey added. Part of her wondered if she'd find him still awake. After all, he'd been through a lot for one day and it was sure to wear him out.

* * *

Hiro didn't stay on the floor of the library for long. Once he'd gotten his map mostly straightened out, and he'd take a sip of juice, he went for the wheelie chair next to the computer. With a little help from Baymax, and several large volumes of books, he now sat at the keyboard.

The thing that sucked the most was that his hands could no longer breeze over the keys like they had only the day before. Now he had to carefully henpeck to get the letters he wanted on the screen. And it took a lot more concentration than he cared to admit. He supposed he could ask Baymax to look up the data he wanted, but part of him wanted to obstinately do it himself. There was enough outside of his control as was.

The keyboard cord all but stretched to its limit as the toddler pulled it closer to the edge of the desk. Part of him wondered why it wasn't a wireless model but decided to not worry about it. So long as he could reach the keys he wanted, he would ignore the rest.

Tongue sticking out through his lips, Hiro meticulously typed out his search parameters and hit the appropriate key to begin the query. Unfortunately, since this wasn't on a secure server like the computer up in the command center, he had to use the more conventional search engines. But he really wished he could use the less conventional ones to track down the data he wanted. Well, conventional would have to do. For now. He doubted the others would like it if he made a sudden change in venue.

At least there was a printer handy so he could print off whatever he found. And, surprisingly, he'd actually found quite a bit. The only problem was that he couldn't reach the printer. He had a hard enough time copy/pasting the information he wanted into a blank word document so he could keep the information down to the bare necessities.

Baymax observed his young charge throughout his entire process of information finding. He didn't so much as comment on Hiro's activities. The young genius obviously had some objective in mind. It was best to not bother his thought processes unnecessarily. However, he did retrieve the sippy cup when asked. And the printouts from the printer.

By the time Honey Lemon came to retrieve them, Hiro was back on the floor, doodling on the paper she'd brought him earlier. Of the map there was no sign. Either he'd torn it up and thrown it out or he had put it somewhere else.

Honey couldn't help but crouch down to look at his drawing. She pushed a lose strand of hair back over her shoulder as she watched.

Hiro chose to work with mostly dark blues and purples, with the occasional light blue and pink. It looks like some kind of mass of just scribbles, though Honey thought there was some meaning behind it. She just didn't know what.

Clearing her throat, Honey tapped Hiro lightly on the shoulder. "Dinner's ready," she announced when he looked up with an air of distraction. She hated to interrupt him but knew he needed to eat. "Everyone else is probably already in there waiting for us."

Awkwardly, Hiro closed the sketchbook and set his crayons down next to it. Then, for added emphasis, he covered the whole with his blanket. "No wook," he admonished with a frown and a waving finger. He then picked up his sippy cup and reached up for Baymax to carry him.

Honey couldn't help but smile. It was just so cute! She wanted to squeeze him in a big hug but Baymax had already picked him up. "I won't look," she promised. Maybe he was working on some secret project and wanted to surprise them later. That or he just wanted to assert some form of control on a situation out of his control. Either way, it was adorable. She was very tempted to pull out her camera phone but didn't. She doubted he'd appreciate that.

Instead, she got back to her feet as Baymax waddled past her. She saw Hiro peering at her from over one vinyl shoulder, almost as if he half expected her to take a peek. She didn't. Instead, she turned to follow them out of the room.


	24. Go Looking

For dinner, Heathcliff had prepared something more along the lines of kid favorites. Despite his endeavor to serve something more "normal", the macaroni and cheese wasn't the kind from a box, but was obviously gourmet made. And the chicken nuggets that accompanied them were shaped like little dinosaurs. That was Fred's suggestion. And the peas were nice and green, but buttery enough that even an eater as picky as Hiro could enjoy them.

While at the store, Honey and Deanna had insisted on getting some kind of booster seat so Hiro could reach the table without having to sit on a pile of books. The little chair was strapped securely to the larger piece of furniture so it wouldn't slide. Hiro was not amused by the little seat belt they insisted he wear, just in case. At least they hadn't suggested he use the tray that came with it and had moved the whole ensemble as close to the table as possible.

Even with those precautions, the area in front of Hiro got kind of messy. It wasn't that he tried to make a mess. It was just one of those things. With his coordination somewhat encumbered by smaller limbs he had yet to get used to, it was bound to happen. That and he had a hard time scooping anything up with the tiny fork and spoon they'd given him. It was bad enough that Fred and brought out a bib large enough to cover his front, but he supposed if he looked at it like one those bibs at the all-you-can-eat lobster places, he could imagine away the indignity of it all.

Picard and Q seemed less than amused by the shaped chicken nuggets, but at least the captain didn't comment. Q, on the other hand, had to have his say on the matter, muttering on how childish it was to have shaped meat products. And why were they so obviously catering to the little brat making a mess over at the other end of the table? Couldn't they move him to another room so the "grownups" could eat in peace?

The loud smack of GoGo's hand making contact with Q's face shocked everyone to silence. All conversation stopped as they turned to stare at the red welt rising on the impudent man's face. "That's my friend you're talking about," GoGo said in a tightly controlled voice. "If you have something to complain about, say it to me. Leave him out of it. He didn't choose this, okay? Back off."

Q's eyes went wide as he was told off by the spitfire athlete. He couldn't help but cringe as she raised her hand once more, the back of her knuckles less than half a meter away from his face. If she let lose, it would hurt more than the first smack did. "Well you don't have to be so snippy about it," he complained.

She raised her hand a little higher, her eyes narrowed, lips drawn together in a stern line. "Care to say that again?"

Looking more than a little affronted, Q stood from his seat. "Well I never!" With that he stormed out of the room.

The moment he was out of sight, GoGo let her arm fall back to her side as she returned to her seat. "Jerk," she muttered under her breath.

Worf eyed GoGo with a sense of approval. This one had fire in her and the idea of fighting alongside her in battle made his blood pump. She was a true warrior.

Slowly, the dim mumble of voices filled the silence once more. Silverware clinked off of plates as GoGo stared sternly around the table in general, daring anyone else to comment about Hiro's handicap. When no one took up the challenge, she picked up her cup and took a drink.

Feeling the danger was past, Honey looked around. She had to resist the urge to wipe cheese sauce from Hiro's face, even though the little tyke had a good mustache and beard going on. She noticed he'd given up on the fork and spoon and opted to use his hands instead. She made a mental note to request either a washcloth or a wet wipe to clean him up later.

The general talk returned to current events, mainly all the odd reports of random things happening around the city. Wasabi was all for believing half of it was provided by bored college and high school students. Some of the incidents just sounded too hinky for anything else.

Thankfully, the rest of the meal passed in a relatively calm manner. Without Q there, the overall attitude of the room seemed to change. Though Honey felt inclined to slip the sulking man at least a roll later on. His plate still had a good amount of food on it.

By the time dessert came around, something Hiro usually didn't want to miss, the tot was nodding in his chair. Both Deanna and Honey Lemon excused themselves to put the little boy to bed. Baymax followed behind with a hurriedly filled diaper bag in tow.

* * *

"Not sweepy," Hiro protested. He was barely able to keep his eyes open as the two women bustled around him.

Although both Deanna and Honey changed him out of his day clothes and into his pajamas, Baymax was the one who performed diaper duty. It probably wouldn't have mattered at that point, but Honey wanted to preserve Hiro's dignity as much as possible.

"I forgot something," Honey Lemon said as she placed the tot in the middle of his bed. "Hiro's blanket's in the library." She debated on whether or not to go get it. Part of her wanted to, but part of her also knew she'd promised not to look at his stuff. However, chances were also good Heathcliff might move them while checking the library. If that happened, she didn't know where they'd end up. "I'll be right back," she said, decided to just go after them.

From his vantage, Hiro could see that it was only eight in the evening. Thankfully, the clock in the room was in an area he could see it. "Too eawy," he protested again. But despite that, his eyes continued to droop. It _had_ been a long day.

Deanna tucked the quilt around him with her uninjured arm. She had to sit on the edge of the bed to reach, but it was a small price to pay. The motion reminded her of her own child. She hadn't had him long. He'd grown from an infant to a confident ten-year-old in a matter of days. And then he'd left, realizing his presence was putting the Enterprise in danger.

"I once had a little boy," she mused as she ran her hand through Hiro's hair. "He was just as bright as you are. But he had to go away." She continued to tell him about her child, massaging his scalp in gentle circles. After only a few minutes of this, she sat back with a wistful smile.

Honey Lemon opened the door and slowly walked in, holding the blanket and Hiro's coloring book and crayons. She hadn't found the map from earlier and decided her earlier thoughts on the matter must have held true. "Is he asleep?" she whispered.

The counselor nodded. "Just barely," she replied just as quietly. She took the blanket from Honey as she handed it to her, placing it next to the sleeping child. "It's been a busy day." With that, she stood and left the room.

Blinking a bit, Honey couldn't help but notice a momentary look of sadness on the woman's face before she entered the hallway. Then she turned her attention back to the bed.

Hiro's hair had fallen over his face, something that wasn't all too surprising. He needed a haircut. Putting the notebook and crayons down on the nightstand, Honey pushed the hair back out of his eyes.

Baymax watched all of this from his charging station. Someone had been kind enough to move it into the bedroom for him. He slowly opened and closed his eyes as his scanner relayed information to his central processor.

When Honey turned to leave, she realized Baymax was still there. She pulled back just a little, mostly because she'd forgotten his presence, but waved it off. "Keep a close eye on him, okay, Baymax?"

The robot tilted his head to one side as he blinked slowly at her. "Of course," he said in his quietest voice. He watched as Honey Lemon turned off the light before leaving the room.

* * *

When Wasabi finally decided it was time for bed, he didn't expect to see Hiro sleeping on the floor. He'd turned on the light, forgetting the youth had gone to bed much earlier than usual. And seeing the toddler on the floor amid a pile of blankets and pillows was more than a little surprising. It almost looked like he'd built a little nest near the foot of the bed he should have been sleeping in.

Then Wasabi saw Baymax sitting against the wall closest to his young charge. "What do you think you're doing?" he whispered. "Shouldn't Hiro be sleeping _on_ the bed?"

Baymax looked up from watching the sleeping toddler. "Hello, Wasabi," he said quietly. "Hiro was having bad dreams. This seems to be the only way to calm him."

"Oh." Wasabi felt slightly taken back by that. "Well then I guess that's alright." He hadn't realized Hiro was having bad dreams. Though he wouldn't blame him if he'd started having them just that night. It made some sort of sense if they had. "He's not going to wake up screaming or anything is he?"

The robot leaned his head to one side as he contemplated that idea. "It is a possibility," he admitted. "Young children tend to have more vivid dreams than adults. They are also more intuitive and have a heightened sense of the emotional."

Wasabi couldn't help but slump onto his bed as if in defeat. "Great. So the kid's going to be more sensitive. Just what we need." He took of his shoes and set them carefully to one side. He then proceeded to change into his pajamas.

"I will try to keep him as calm as possible," Baymax stated as he diverted his attention while the man prepare for bed. "However, I may not be able to do so. I would like to apologize in advance should that be the case."

By that point, Wasabi had changed and put his day clothes in an orderly pile before heading to turn off the light once more. "Don't worry about,' he said, hoping Hiro would sleep like the dead. He knew he wanted to.

* * *

Almost as if an alarm had gone off, Hiro sat up from his nest of blankets. He blinked the sleep from his eyes, rubbing at them when that didn't work. The room was still dark. Wasabi was still snoring away in his bed on the other side of the room. Just what time was it, anyway?

Hiro turned to look towards the clock. The digital face read 5:00. Wow. That was a new record, he supposed. He hadn't gotten up that early on his own in a long time. This whole toddler thing was totally messing with his circadian rhythm. That had to stop.

It didn't help that Deanna had basically lulled him to sleep the night before, despite his trying to stay up longer. She just had to go and mess with his hair, effectively giving him a scalp massage. Those had always put him to sleep when he was younger. How dare she use that technique against him!

Seeing his young charge was awake, Baymax sat up from leaning against the wall. He activated his internal projector to supply enough light to see the room, but not enough to wake the sleeping man in the other bed. "Good morning, Hiro," he greeted the toddler in a quiet voice. "Did you have another bad dream?"

Hiro shook his head. To be honest, he really couldn't remember any of the dreams he'd had the night before. And part of him thought that was a blessing. He'd had some rather crazy ones the past few days. Add that yesterday's events... Yeah, he was cool not remembering any weird dreams.

"Do you want to go back to sleep?" Baymax asked next. He doubted it, as Hiro's brain seemed quite active. And the resulting head shake only confirmed it. "What would you like to do instead?"

The toddler had to think about that for a bit, and then decided it would be wise to prove to his friends he didn't really need a diaper. "Potty," he said as he pointed to the door. He was too short to reach the knob.

Baymax got to his feet and picked up the little tyke as he headed to the door. "Of course," he said, as if he'd known all along that's what Hiro would say. He grabbed a clean diaper just in case. Even if he was dry, he still should wear some kind of underwear.

When Hiro realized what Baymax was doing, he let out a little huff. Well soon enough he'd demand "big boy" underwear again and get rid of those things. If he had his way, he'd have a bonfire. Unfortunately, he doubted anyone would let him near an open flame. At least not until he was restored to his normal pubescent self.

* * *

By the time Wasabi woke up, it was eight in the morning. He yawned, sat up, and stretched. Then he did a double-take. This was followed by a mad dash to the other side of the room, and some rapid flinging of bedding from the nest on the floor. But the results were the same. Hiro and Baymax weren't there.

Feeling a bit self-conscious, Wasabi couldn't help but place the bedding back on the bed, folded in neat rectangles. This allowed him to notice, however, that the pad of paper and crayons were missing from the nightstand as well. He'd also sufficiently calmed down enough to be rational. If Baymax was with Hiro, he couldn't be in any danger. At least not any _serious_ danger.

A little mollified, the OCD freak got dressed and headed towards the smell of breakfast. Like before, Heathcliff had delivered a warm meal. Only this time there was French toast and omelets made to order. Now that was more like it, he decided.

One by one, the various heroes and their guests made their way to the breakfast room. All except for Hiro and Baymax. Wasabi couldn't help but notice. He'd tried to keep an eye out for them, something that should have been easy, but no dice.

Finally, Wasabi turned to the three girls who were sitting together at one end of the room. "You guys wouldn't happen to know where Hiro and Baymax are would you?"

Deanna exchanged glances with Honey Lemon. GoGo remained impassive. "I haven't checked in on them yet," Troi admitted. "Why? Is something wrong?"

Wasabi tried to shrug it off. "I don't know," he admitted. "They weren't in the room when I woke up this morning. You know Hiro usually sleeps in until someone wakes him."

"Maybe I should go look for them," Honey worried as she set her coffee down. "Hiro might have gotten himself into trouble."

Fred shook his head as he listened in on the conversation. He'd requested Heathcliff make him a very special omelet with a mix of meat, radishes, and crackers. The last time he'd had it had turned out rather well and he'd had a craving. "I'm sure the little dude's fine," he reasoned. "I mean Baymax's with him. If something was wrong, wouldn't Baymax come find one of us?"

Picard chose to ignore the conversation as he speared a piece of sticky toast with his fork. As much as he'd hate to admit it in front of his friends, he was a little glad Hiro wasn't there right now. Even though he knew this was a temporary thing, Hiro's young visage reminded him of a lot of things that made him uncomfortable. He was trying to ignore it, but it was deeply ingrained and not as easily done as he would have liked.

Data observed the conversation from near the door. He'd found something to occupy himself while the others ate, since he didn't feel inclined to join them. "Perhaps he has merely become involved in some project and has forgotten the time. Or he may have fallen asleep in another part of the house," he reasoned.

"It wouldn't be good if we lost him," GoGo spoke up. "His aunt would be furious."

Fred pointed his fork in GoGo's direction. "She's got a point. Maybe someone should go look for him."

Worf eyed those around the table, most especially Q. Part of him felt a desire to volunteer, but part of him also wanted to keep an eye on the mischief maker already in their presence. Looking around, he could tell that almost everyone in the room was still eating.

Data seemed to observe the same thing. "If everyone would prefer to finish their meal, I volunteer to go in search of Hiro. This may give me the opportunity to learn more about his robot."

Picard waved his consent, mostly because his mouth was full of buttery goodness. He took a moment to clear his throat though, just in case. "By all means, Mr. Data," he said.

Having been giving permission by his superior, Data gave a slight nod in acknowledgement before turning and leaving the room.

* * *

Hiro lay on the floor, tummy side down as he concentrated on the map in front of him. With Baymax's help, he'd managed to look up more data to put on the thing. He only wished his hands weren't so weak and useless when it came to writing. In place of that, he'd had Baymax cut out the little snippets he'd found so he could tape them to the corresponding places on the map. He knew his own little fingers wouldn't work the scissors in the most effective manner. That and he doubted the others would approve of his use of non-child proof scissors while still in this form.

Baymax handed him yet another little slip of paper, which he put next to a messy red dot he's scribbled on the map. The surface was getting full at this point, if for no other reason than the fact that he'd included even the incidents that might be seen as pranks. Those he'd coded in blue as he wasn't sure if they were valid or not. It took a lot of concentration to make everything fit in nicely. And even then, things were still a bit messy.

When the door to the library opened, Hiro looked up quickly. He shoved the map under the upholstered chair he lay next to. He then pulled the pad of paper and the box of crayons closer so he could scribble on the blank pages. He wasn't ready for the others to see the map just yet.

When the android entered the room, Hiro felt a little surprised. He'd half expected one of the girls to come looking for him. But he didn't mind the change. "Data," he called out in his toddler drawl. "Wook." He held out the notebook as the intelligence officer moved closer.

Data knelt down on one knee as Hiro sat up and handed him the notebook. "Ah," he said. "I see you have a good grasp of color. However, the medium does not seem capable of showing the depth you wish to convey. May I?"

When Hiro nodded his consent, he sat on the floor, then lay on his stomach, placing a blank page in front of himself. Then he chose a couple of colors and began to draw.

Fifteen minutes later, Deanna Troi came looking for the both of them. She paused at the doorway of the library to take a moment to observe the two. A smile creased her face and she chuckled to herself. "So that's where you ended up," she said as she moved into the room.

Both Hiro and Data looked up at the same time.

"I was wondering what had happened to you," the counselor continued as she stopped in front of them.

Data moved to a sitting position. "Did the captain require my presence?" he inquired.

Deanna shook her head, still smiling. "No. But I wonder if someone shouldn't remind Hiro that it might be a good idea to eat something while there's still something left _to_ eat."

At the mention of food, Hiro's stomach let out a loud growl. The small boy looked up with embarrassment. "F'got," he said by way of excuse. He then spread his hands out to indicate the drawings he'd worked on with Data. "Dwawed good."

Troi knelt to better see as she looked at the various pictures. It wasn't hard to tell which artist had done which. While Hiro's fine motor skills were that of a toddler, Data's were decidedly firm and strong with bold lines. "I can see that," she commented, then pointed at one scribble in particular. It was a cotton candy cloud assortment of blues, pinks, and other pastel colors. "What's this suppose to be?"

"Cwouds," Hiro answered as he also contemplated the piece. "Pohtaw cwouds."

Data took that opportunity to get back to his feet. "Hiro and I have been comparing places we've either seen or visited."

"I see," Deanna said as she returned to a standing position as well. "But don't you think that can wait until after he's had something to eat?" She glanced towards Baymax, who remained impassively standing nearby. "And why didn't you remind Hiro it was time for breakfast?"

Baymax contemplated that question for a moment. "I believed Hiro would tell me when he was hungry," he finally answered. "However, you are correct in saying Hiro should eat something." Aside from which, he'd kept close tabs on Hiro's blood sugar levels and had not found any reason for concern.

Almost as if the boy felt bemused with this idea, he let his shoulder sag to one side and gave his companion a slow eye roll. "Got busy," he said by way of explanation. "Food now?" Surely Baymax would have said something if he'd thought it was a problem. He'd had no qualms of doing so in the past.

Deanna shook her head at the spectacle. "Yes," she confirmed as she reached for his hand. "I asked Heathcliff to set something aside for you when you didn't show up for breakfast."

"Kay," Hiro answered rather innocently. He didn't mention, nor was he sure he could accurately get it across, but he'd had a decent snack around six that morning when the butler had found him and Baymax already in the library. But an actual meal sounded like a good idea too.

Data straightened the drawings on the floor. "I'll just straighten up a little more in here," he announced as he set the drawings in two different piles, one for his and one for Hiro's. He then put the crayons back in their box and placed it all on the desk by the computer while the other three left the room.

Out of curiosity, he turned on the blank monitor. Fred had shown him how it worked the other day. The image that came into focus straight off was a search engine result page full of incidents in and around San Fransokyo. "Curious," he said to himself, then proceeded to go through the data on screen. Part of him wondered who had been doing the research, Hiro, Baymax, or someone else.


	25. Daddy

Every city has a slum and San Fransokyo was no exception. Some areas were worse than others. Yama's men often kept to the less savory areas. It was easier to stay hidden that way. And though they did have the occasional run in with the law, most were able to avoid it. Yama did, after all, have a reputation. And if anyone ratted on him, well, heaven help the poor soul.

James had thought about ratting Yama out. He'd heard how the man had been arrested a little over a year ago for illegal bot fighting. That, of course, was the least of his transgressions. The giant had gotten out on a technicality. But James was mad, more than mad. He was livid.

Okay, so maybe it had been a bad idea to go up against the guy. His bot had been rather weak compared to the mammoth Yama had brought to the table. But the word on the street was he'd lost confidence after that punk kid beat him at his own game. He didn't know the kid's name, just that he'd taken Yama down.

Yama should have been vulnerable. Instead, James had been thoroughly trounced. Not only that, but he'd lost his livelihood in the pursuit of becoming number one in the back alley bot fights arena. At least he didn't have any family to lose. But still, the indignity of it all made him think recklessly.

James paced. He had information. He could turn Yama in; maybe get a finder's fee for doing so. But, if Yama ever found out, he'd be dead. He'd heard things. And they weren't pretty either. He wasn't entirely sure he wanted to play with that or not. But he needed money. A person couldn't live without money.

While debating on what he should do, James found a convenient wall to lean against. He couldn't rush into things. If he was going to do this, he needed to have a plan to keep things from getting back to him. He was only one man. That complicated some things, but made others simpler. He was also less well-known in the bot circles. He'd only tried his hand at it in the last few months, after he'd carefully crafted his bot. And by crafted, he meant stole parts from others' destroyed bots and made his own.

He was just about ready to call the whole thing off when he felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle. He half-expected one of Yama's men to come around the corner, catching him in the act of devising a plan. But when he took a quick peek around the bend, he didn't see anyone. Instead, he saw a shimmer of energy like a heat haze.

Blinking a few times, James felt for sure his luck had changed. The apparition in front of him looked like an angel. Sort of. Maybe it was the drugs. He'd been on a low buzz all day. Either way, he reached out as if welcoming a loved one home. And the energy came flooding into him like water filling a pitcher. It felt warm and powerful.

For the first time in a long time, James felt invincible. It was an intoxicating feeling. He didn't understand it but if the cosmos wanted to give him that, he wasn't going to complain. He laughed, arms spread out as the hairs on his skin seemed to crackle with the power he could feel flowing through him. Could he us that energy? There was only one way to find out.

"Food," he ordered the air. "Enough to feed me for a day!"

With a shimmer like a heat haze, the air rippled around him. A small box appeared out of nowhere. And on top of that box sat several bags of greasy fried food. It looked like it might have come from one of the local fast food joints. Either way, it didn't matter. He was hungry and he dug in.

Once his hunger was sated, James' brain started to actually kick in. If he could order a buffet of fast food, what else could he do? The ideas sparked his imagination. Maybe he could rob a bank? Or just get the cash he wanted?

"Give me money!" He ordered again as he threw his hands outward like a magician doing a trick. He even imagined the vaults of one of the larger banks, in case it needed a hint. But, unlike before, the air didn't shimmer. He cussed. Apparently this was like a genie in a bottle, a bit fickle but not insurmountable. He'd figure it out. He just needed some time.

* * *

The two Doctors opted to not join anyone for breakfast. They'd been too busy trying to retrieve the other TARDIS. After all, it wouldn't do to just leave it out there where anyone could see it. So, after some careful maneuvering, the blue-suited Doctor convinced his TARDIS to land close to the other one. It didn't like it but it had to be done.

"Well, that's the easy part," the one Doctor said to the other. "Looks like you'll need a tow, though."

They'd gone inside and had a quick inspection of the area. And, after some convincing, it let them inside. The main console wasn't responding, which meant it needed either some repairs or a little more time to "cook". Either was possible. Because, after a bit of a chat, the one Doctor had discovered that the other had only just regenerated.

A few curious pedestrians slowed as the two men contemplated the blue box from the sidewalk. The TARDIS fit in its niche like it had been built for that exact purpose. "Doesn't look like she wants to move," the darker-haired man commented. "Might have to do some persuading."

"We could always leave her there," the bow-tied Doctor said with hands on his hips. They both knew how stubborn the TARDIS could be. "I doubt anyone will steal her."

The other Doctor shrugged. He did have a point. The Ol' Girl was lodged in there pretty tightly. And unless she chose to dematerialize, chances were good she wasn't going anywhere. "You did lock her, right?"

With a rather offended look, the bow-tied Doctor turned to face his companion. "What kind of fool do you take me for?"

The tables turned, the blue-clad Doctor waffled a bit. "Well, there was that one time…."

"That was one time," his companion said as he pointed his finger in his face. "And you know it."

Deciding it was best to just back down on that end, the blue-clad Doctor put his hands in his pockets. "Why don't we take a look at that alley where Hiro traded in a few years," he suggested. "Maybe we can find something the others missed."

Bow-tied Doctor smiled at that. "Yes, why don't we? Everyone was in a bit of a hurry at the time and I didn't have the chance. Shall we?" He held out an arm as if to escort a lady down the sidewalk.

Seeing the gesture, the other Doctor rolled his eyes. Well, they'd done many a strange thing in their various times. He supposed this was the least crazy of them all. "Lead on, good sir," he said in an overly jovial tone as he linked his arm with his companion's. "To the alley!"

* * *

To say Hiro was going a little stir crazy would be an understatement. But at least he'd made his point with the diaper thing. He hadn't had a single accident since the day before when Baymax had tickled him a little too much. He hated the things. They were so itchy and just made him look bottom heavy, not that he cared what others thought of his appearance, but still! Okay, maybe he did care, just a little.

"I totally get where you're coming from, little dude," Fred nodded as he listened to Hiro babble. He had to have Baymax translate, but the point had at least gotten across.

The majority of the others had gone back to trying to figure out what was going on and how to get Q's powers back. Wasabi had even volunteered to go out and about with Data and a few others to try and see if they could come up with a pattern for all the events that had occurred. Apparently Data had seen a few incidents on the computer and wanted to investigate them further.

Deanna had opted to stay behind, mostly due to a headache. She was resting in her room while Picard and GoGo tried to hash out some kind of plan. Nothing had come out so far, outside of what they were already doing. That left Worf to watch Q while Fred, Baymax, and Honey Lemon watched Hiro.

"Do you think we could convince Heathcliff to take us back to the store?" Honey wondered. She'd figured Hiro would get tired of the diapers really fast, but it was what was available at the time. And who knew? If things didn't get fixed, and Hiro became stuck in that body, reverting back to that age, they might need them again.

Fred seemed to contemplate her suggestion. "Yeah, I guess we could do that. Beats walking all the way over to a store," he agreed. Part of this still felt like he'd been given the chance to have a kid brother, and that was kind of fun. Even though he knew Hiro didn't exactly see things that way. "Cuz I know you don't want to be stuck in those things," he looked directly at Hiro's tiny face. "I know I wouldn't."

As if to confirm this theory, Hiro nodded emphatically. "Want change! No diapew!"

"I believe it would be advisable to pursue this course of action for the sake of Hiro's emotional well-being," Baymax observed. After all, he was the one who had kept the closest tabs on the young hero. And with Deanna not there to inform them of Hiro's emotional state, the robot was the next best thing.

Honey smiled at that as she bent down to pick Hiro up. "Looks like we're going shopping again," she said, her smile widening when Hiro responded in kind.

* * *

James was getting tired of trying to figure out just how these new powers of his worked. Apparently he couldn't do anything overly large or harmful. He'd tried setting fire to one of the buildings, just for kicks, only to have it fail. That and he'd tried asking for things like jewels, smaller amounts of money, and so forth. Nothing.

Part of him wondered what good having the ability to conjure up food was. Not that he could only conjure up food. He could make people move around a bit. And that was entertaining. He'd gone to a park and made some people move around, generally within a few meters of their original resting place. He'd also made a few objects move as well. But that trick was also getting old.

Now he was back to deciding just what he wanted to do to try and get more money. He could still rat out Yama. Maybe he could make some of the guy's men disappear or something. Wouldn't that be a trip? But the more he thought about it, the less appealing it sounded. Now, if he could persuade someone to follow him, or make someone move enough that he could take them around the block a few times… that might be different.

In fact, the idea had a certain kind of appeal in it, now that he thought about it even more. But he'd have to be careful who he chose as his target. Even if all he could do was move someone a few meters away from where they were, it might be enough to snag some rich kid. And that could prove lucrative.

James shook his head. Now why on earth was he thinking like that? It didn't make sense. He wasn't a kidnapper. That wasn't his thing. He preferred a good hustle. There was nothing like a decent con job. But the idea of "borrowing" some rich man's child, only to return them for a decent sum of money became more and more tempting. But if he was going to do that, he needed to be where the rich brats hung out.

He knew some were into the illegal bot fights. It was their way of 'rebelling'. How cute. But those events were usually congested and he didn't want witnesses. He'd have to find somewhere more… appropriate.

Once more, he shook his head. He really didn't know where these ideas were coming from. Maybe it was the drugs. Anything was possible. But before he could question it again, he found he'd moved. It wasn't that' he'd subconsciously walked somewhere else. He'd literally moved. Maybe this power thing worked after all. Because, only moments before, he'd been down by the docks. And now he was at an upscale shopping center. There was no other way he could have done that in the span of only a few seconds. No one could do that. Not even those vigilantes running around in their bright armor.

Almost as if some outside force had taken over, James walked towards the parking lot. If nothing else, he could at least take a look around. He did need the money. Sometimes those brats dropped stuff. If he was fast, he could snatch it up before anyone was the wiser.

* * *

Hiro could vaguely remember a time, shortly after Aunt Cass had taken Hiro and Tadashi in, where they'd gone shopping for new clothes. With Aunt Cass on one side, and Tadashi on the other, he'd almost swung between the two. Even at the age of nine, almost ten, Tadashi'd had a lot of height on Hiro.

And now the boy couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu as he held Honey Lemon's hand on the one side, and Fred's on the other. Both young adults were tall by most standards. And since Hiro's two-year-old legs were that much shorter, he almost felt like he was flying between them when they lifted him up into the air, either by accident or design. Either way, it was probably the best part of being so small. It brought back happy memories.

It was meant to be a quick trip. After all, he didn't need much, just a couple pairs of underpants, and maybe a few more shirts. He did have a hard time keeping them clean with his lessened motor skills. All the same, Fred insisted they browse around the store for a while, probably in a bid to stay out of everyone else's way. It was hard to hide the fact that Picard found the almost infant-sized Hiro more than a little alarming.

"You know," Fred commented as he stopped in front of a toy display, "we could totally get these remote control cars and like have a race or something. You know, just for kicks and giggles." He flashed Hiro a smile, only partially wondering how his little hands would be able to manipulate the controls. But this was Hiro he was thinking about. The little dude could do anything if he set his mind to it. "What do you think?"

Hiro looked at Fred with one of those expressions that said he might be willing to humor him. He did still like a good go around with his RC SWAT car back home. Of course he hadn't played with it in a few months, but it was nice to know it was still around. And the challenge was not insurmountable. At least he hoped it wasn't. He looked down at his tiny hands and contemplated.

Honey watched the two think about the implications. "Might as well," she said cheerfully. "It would give you both something to do to stay out of trouble." She pushed her glasses up, her handbag swaying off of one arm with the motion. Going out and about wasn't a bad thing, and going back with something that would keep at least Hiro busy wasn't a bad thing either.

Somewhere behind them, Baymax shuffled along. He'd been momentarily distracted by a display of talking robotic toys. But with his curiosity sated, he returned to his young charge in time to hear the proposed plan. "I believe that to be a good suggestion," he added.

Fred all but jumped up and down. "All right!" He did something like a little victory dance before snatching one of the duel set box off the shelf. "This is going to be so awesome!" After all, it wasn't all that often that he got to have some bonding time with their smallest member.

Decided now was a good time to steer the group back to the front of the store, Honey put one hand on Hiro's shoulder and turned him, giving him a little nudge. "Okay, I don't think we need to get anything else," she said. "We should probably be getting back."

With the box in tow, Fred was more than happy to follow his classmate up to the cash register, where he flashed his gold card. The cashier smiled at him. "What a cute couple!" the woman oozed. "Are these items for your son? A reward for potty training, perhaps?"

But before Honey could correct the woman, Fred leaned on the counter. "Totally," he said. "Isn't that right, little dude?"

Hiro resisted the urge to roll his eyes but chose to go with it. Sometimes it was easier to just let the otaku have his way. And since it didn't pose any risk, he didn't see the harm in it. The woman did look over at Baymax rather oddly.

Realizing the woman was staring at the inflatable marshmallow, Fred let out a slight chuckle. "Yeah, that's my little dude's nanny. Totally awesome, right? The things you can buy with this thing!" He flashed the card again.

The cashier finished ringing everything up, then took Fred's card to swipe it. Out of habit, she set it to one side as the machine processed the transaction.

A little distracted when Baymax accidentally knocked over a small pyramid of stuffed animals, Fred forgot to pick up his card. And Honey was already moving Hiro towards the exit in hopes of avoiding any other fabrications coming from Fred's mouth. Luckily, the animals were quickly picked up and Fred grabbed their purchases, heading out as well.

Just as they got to the door, the cashier came running after them, waving the card. "Mr. Whitmore! You forgot your card!"

Fred almost dropped the RC racer box but Honey saved him by grabbing the card instead. "I'll just hold onto that," she admonished gently as she slipped it into her pocket.

Hiro looked back at the otaku and gave him one of those looks. But he let out a hint of a smile when Fred slouched his shoulders like a scolded child. "Wet's go, _daddy_ ," he said with a hint of humor as he turned to follow Honey to the car.

Seeing his party was ready to leave, Heathcliff pulled the car around. Once in position, he got out to open the door, taking the shopping bags to one side. And after all of his passengers were inside, he put the packages in the trunk. That taken care of, he got back behind the wheel and drove off.

In the shade of one of the trees near the entrance, James watched the display with an odd look in his eye.


	26. Notice A Pattern

Q stared at the two RC cars as they raced around the main foyer. Having nothing better to do, he'd condescended to join the less than epic race going on in the main hall. How the slouching slacker had convinced Worf to participate was beyond him, but at least it was mildly entertaining, not that he'd admit that to anyone, ever.

In fact it was even more entertaining because Worf wasn't facing Fred, but GoGo. The two were decidedly not well-matched, as the Klingon was still trying to get the hang of the controller. That meant GoGo was free to make her car do circles around the other one. And she did so with such ease and confidence that he almost applauded her, though he refrained. He didn't want to encourage her.

Hiro, on the other hand, clapped in amusement as he watched the display. Fred had been right about this being a great way to stay amused. And even though his own thumbs were too short to manipulate the controls, he didn't mind. He couldn't remember laughing this hard in some time, though he had to be careful not to have any more accidents. He wasn't wearing a diaper after all. And he didn't want to give them any excuses to force them back on him.

Then Fred decided it would be a good idea to add a few obstacles for the cars to navigate around. The fun was momentarily stopped while he set up a few random articles around the floor. He used a few books, a couple of vases his mom might kill him over if they broke, and something that was probably meant to be a doorstop but looked more like a miniature ramp.

Seeing the challenge, GoGo couldn't help but smile. "Oh yeah," she exclaimed as she set her car around the course, slowly at first, but with growing confidence as her car slid around the new obstacles with ease.

Worf, for his part, did try. He'd gotten the basic gist of how the thing worked and was able to at least go around the obstacles without hitting them. It was decidedly better than his previous attempts where the car kept starting and stuttering while he figured out the controls.

In a show of pure adrenaline junky enthusiasm, GoGo sent her car up the makeshift ramp at the highest speed. It flew up into the air, making a delicious arch across the main part of the foyer, right in front of Captain Picard as the man came down the stairs.

"What in the world?" the captain exclaimed as he saw the spectacle. He stared in incredulous shock at his officer not only condoning this childish behavior but also participating in it. Data was not far behind him, though his expression was unreadable.

Not sure how his superior officer meant the question, Data stepped forward. "I believe GoGo has applied the laws of-" he started but was cut off by a wave of Picard's hand.

Worf stood quickly, hiding the controller behind his back. "I was merely exploring the culture of our hosts," he stated, sounding slightly sulky. "I did not think you would mind."

Picard finished walking down the stairs. "We shouldn't be playing. We should be trying to figure out a way to get that man's power back!" He pointed at Q, who happened to be sitting on the bottom stair on the opposite staircase before the two merged into one at the bottom.

Q slowly stood from his seat. "Tut tut, Mon capitaine," he admonished, his hands pressed together. "While I agree that restoring my power is of monumental importance, is it not also important to find means to amuse oneself? Otherwise, what is the point of existing? We obviously have nothing to go on at the moment so why not lighten up and have a little fun?"

The captain's scowl seemed to fill the whole entryway with disapproval. "If we were actually doing what we are all supposed to be doing, we might have ' _something to go on_ ' as you put it," he retorted. "Worf, you should be gathering information on what is happening outside this house."

The Klingon hastily put the RC controller down on a small table with a flower vase. "Sir."

Turning his attention to the lounging Heroes, Picard almost wavered. "As for the rest of you, shouldn't you be finding something productive to do? You have means and resources we don't. Isn't it about time you used them?"

Deanna chose that moment to stand up for her new friends. "Captain, that's not fair and you know it. While it is true there are things that can be done, such as gathering more information, it is also important to allow for some down time. You, out of everyone here, should be aware that rest and relaxation have their purpose. A strained mind will only go so far."

Wasabi moved to stand by the counselor's side. "She's right," he agreed. "We've just been running around in circles like chickens whose heads have been cut off. As much as I hate to admit it, sometimes it's best to just sit back and see what happens. Besides, until we have more information, which we seem unable to get, we can't formulate a plan to change things."

Honey pushed her glasses up her nose. The main point of getting the cars was to give Hiro something to do so he wasn't always brooding over what had happened. And that had worked. But she thought it useful for the others to join in the fun as well. "Why don't we take turns?" she suggested. "Some of us can go out and look for clues while the others rest for a while."

"Sounds good to me," GoGo said as she popped a gum bubble. "And since I'm sort of in charge of our group at the moment, I just want to say I think you were a bit out of line." She stared directly at Picard without looking like she was, pasting a rather bored expression on her face. But, to anyone who knew her, there was a scowl underneath her facade.

Data glanced at his captain. "She does have a point," he noted. "You were out of line."

Picard closed his eyes as he slowly exhaled. He hadn't expected for them to team up against him. But he supposed they did have a point. He was trying to insert himself as the official leader of the group as a whole when he was still just a guest. Even though the situation was annoying, it wasn't life-threatening. At least not at the moment. "I apologize," he said curtly as he opened his eyes and held gazes with GoGo. "You're right. We're all on edge at the moment and a little rest and relaxation isn't unwarranted."

Almost as if someone had cut a string, the tension in the room relaxed. "If anyone needs me," Picard continued, "I'll be in my room." With that, he turned on his heels and walked back up the stairs.

"That was close," Honey whispered under her breath.

Baymax, the closest to her, turned his head to glance her way. He blinked slowly. "I believe Captain Picard is expressing his frustration," he stated. "I detected high levels of stress hormones prevalent in my most recent scan."

GoGo moved away from her current position near the banister. She patted the robot on the shoulder as she walked by. "Yeah, well, he needs to just chill. We're all in this together." She paused, turning back towards the wide open space. "By the way, has anyone seen either of the Doctors lately?"

Fred straightened from his perch near Q. "Not since this morning," he admitted. "I think they were going to retrieve the other TARDIS."

"Would anyone care to explain to me what a TARDIS is?" Q asked, still looking rather displeased with Picard's abrupt insertion to their fun. "No one seems inclined to tell me anything."

His question, however, was ignored as Heathcliff entered the area and announced lunch was served.

"All right!" Fred exclaimed as he got to his feet. "There's nothing like a good meal! Am I right, little dude?" He glanced down at Hiro, who was only a step or two higher up than he was on the staircase.

Hiro just rolled his eyes. "Want juice," he announced. Over the past several minutes or so, he'd become more quiet. Whether this was because he was thinking about something or for some other reason was anyone's guess.

Noting the difference, Deanna strode over to Baymax. "You and I should have a little chat later," she said to the robot before continuing on towards the breakfast room. She hadn't failed to notice a significant change in the lad and wanted a second opinion before discussing it with anyone else.

* * *

The afternoon was pretty boring, all things considered. Following Honey's advice, several members of both groups teamed up to investigate the different disturbances in the area Data had discovered. They started with those closest to the Manor and moved out from there.

Data, GoGo, Wasabi, and Troi made up the first shift to go out. They were instructed to gather what information they could about the various incidents and determine their legitimacy. After all, it was always possible someone was just riding the wagon to cause extra chaos.

With a list in hand, part of which Data had found on the computer in the library, the small group headed out. There was still no indication of who had been researching the various incidents and the android had yet to get a confession from any of his companions that they were responsible. Either way, it was helpful.

Their first stop was at one of the local parks. Wasabi drove them over in his van. Once parked, they began to search the area for the structure rumored to have moved from one place to another. After some careful investigation, and a few scans from Data, they determined this was a man-made attempt to cash in five minutes of fame with the media.

The next turned out to be along similar lines. The third, however, involved the jogger who'd gone missing in front of the Lucky Cat Café. They finally caught up with him long enough for Data to scan him from a distance. Unfortunately, there was no residual energy on the man. And when they scanned the areas where he'd disappeared and reappeared, there wasn't much to find either.

After two more hours of investigating potential incidents, the team decided to call it a night. Most of the events seemed fabricated, especially the further out from the city's center they got. The second team would continue in the morning.

"Is anyone starting to notice a pattern here?" GoGo quipped as they drove back to the Manor. She hunkered down in the front passenger seat, arms crossed over her chest as she chewed her gum.

Wasabi kept a careful eye on the traffic as he drove. He seemed a bit tense, but was otherwise distracted by driving. "Not really," he said as he slowed at a crosswalk so various people could cross.

Deanna noticed his preoccupation. "Is something wrong?" she asked as she stared at his reflection in the rear view mirror. She'd chosen to sit in the back with Data. "You seem to be more tense than usual." She didn't need to scan his emotions to discover that much. It was more than obvious with his hunched shoulders and tight neck muscles.

Slowly starting to drive forward after several kids had finished crossing the street, Wasabi couldn't help but glance back at the question. His fingers tensed on the steering wheel. "No," he answered quickly. Then said," Yes," just as quickly.

"Which is it?" GoGo snapped. She tightened her arms across her chest as she stared out the front window. Whatever was putting Wasabi on edge was affecting her as well. It made her feel small and defenseless.

Wasabi looked through the windshield almost nervously. "I don't know," he finally admitted. "I almost feel like something's going to happen."

As soon as he finished talking, Data sat up straight in his seat, his hands reaching for the driver's seat in front of him. "Look out!"

A car came barreling out of one of the side streets, tires squealing as whoever was behind the wheel turned the vehicle sharply to avoid a pedestrian who'd just started to cross in front of it.

Wasabi jerked the wheel without thinking, sending them towards the car in question. His foot slammed into the brakes as he stared in horror at the car careening towards them, still sliding out of control.

"Hit the gas!" GoGo yelled, breaking him from a fear-frozen staring contest with the driver of the other vehicle. She moved her arms as if to grab the steering wheel but didn't.

The engine revved as the van shot forward. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite fast enough. The other car clipped the back end like a missile, sending them swinging out into the middle of the street in a wide circle that pushed the other car out of the way. Airbags inflated with enough force to send both Wasabi and GoGo back against their seats like ping pong balls.

After several rotations, the car finally stopped moving, the engine silent. The tinkle of glass announced Data brushing off the remains of the window near his side of the vehicle. He shook his head like a wet dog before disengaging his seat belt. "Is every alright?" he inquired.

Deanna cradled her injured arm, which didn't seem to be any worse off, thankfully. She'd moved out of pure instinct to protect herself from further injury. "A little shaken," she admitted. He neck hurt a little from the sudden stop and whipping around it had caused.

Data reached towards the front of the car and popped the airbags holding both Wasabi and GoGo in place like they were nothing more than paper. "Are either of you injured?"

Wasabi stared out the front window with wide eyes. "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" He kept saying over and over again. His breathing was more accelerated than usual. His complexion looked more than a little pale.

GoGo put one hand to the side of her head. She'd managed to hit it against the window, leaving a trickle of blood down the side of her face. "Ugh," she said as she blinked a few times to clear her vision. "That was so not cool."

A crowd began to form outside. Some were taking pictures with their cell phones. Others just stared in wide-eyed shock.

Wincing, GoGo turned to Wasabi, who continued to mutter. When he wouldn't stop, she smacked him across the face with her free hand. "Get a hold of yourself!" she ordered. His uttered words had started to slur together in an almost state of frenzy.

The force behind her slap seemed to wake Wasabi up and he took in several deep breaths, hands still clasping the wheel as if for dear life. "Guys, is everyone okay back there?" He wasn't sure if he dared move or not. His muscles were still tense and his knuckles were white.

From a distance came the sound of sirens. Various spectators moved out of the way as several cop cars showed up to create a barrier around the two vehicles, directing traffic around the accident.

"Not good," GoGo groaned. She turned to look at the two behind her, only to wince as her head throbbed. "They can't find out Data's an android," she hissed in pain. "No one's good enough to make one that convincing yet."

Data had pulled out his tricorder the moment he felt sure neither of the others in the vehicle were in any immediate danger. He scanned the area, making a few adjustments to his tricorder. However, when GoGo reminded them they didn't need anyone finding out about their unusual characteristics, he put the device away. "I will think of something," he said to try and calm her, more than aware of her volatile emotional state.

Only a matter of minutes later, several fire trucks arrived on the scene, with three ambulances not far behind. They had to pry open the other vehicle to get the unconscious driver out. His vehicle had taken the decided brunt of the impact, despite all the spinning Wasabi's van had incurred. The paramedics were quick to take him away in one of the ambulances.

By the time Wasabi and the others realized what was going on, their car doors had been pulled open. "Nice and easy," one paramedic said as she coaxed the dark-skinned driver to release the steering wheel. "That's it. You're going to be fine."

Data exited the vehicle on his own, refusing the services any of the emergency responders offered. "I do not require your assistance," he insisted. And since he seemed to be fine, they let him be, turning their attention to the other two in the van.

GoGo winced as one medic flashed a penlight in her eyes. She'd jerked her head to one side to avoid the bright light, which hadn't done her head any favors. At least the man attending her had cleaned the blood off her face. And, when asked to, she slowly got out of the car.

Deanna exited the vehicle when instructed to do so as well. She'd managed to get off with what they suspected was a mild case of whiplash. But when the medic attending her suggested she go to the hospital just to be sure, she refused. They might not find out about her alien heritage, but there was no guarantee they wouldn't either. She felt more comfortable letting Baymax observe any necessary treatment since he already knew about her mixed genes. At least they gave her an ice pack to place on the back of her neck to help reduce potential swelling.

All in all, it could have been worse. While one of the paramedics treated GoGo, Data took the liberty of borrowing her phone and calling Honey Lemon. Her number was the last on the call list and therefore easiest to find. Once the situation was explained, Heathcliff was dispatched to collect them.

Heathcliff showed up at the same time the wrecker trucks did. He somehow managed to find a place to park near the scene and walked over. After a bit more confusion, the paramedics released the four from Wasabi's van. They all had to sign a waiver stating they'd refused to be taken to a hospital and would seek treatment elsewhere.

Fred bounced over, more than ready to help his friends back to the Manor. He'd insisted on coming along, just in case someone had to pull clout. The others had stayed behind to wait on events. He noticed his friend sadly watch his car being towed away, shoulders slumped almost in defeat. "Cheer up," he tried to soothe his friend. "We'll get you a new one. At least this time wasn't any fault of ours."

Finally, they were all safely in the sedan Heathcliff had brought and were headed back to the Manor.

* * *

Hiro couldn't help but look up as his friends returned. He'd been doodling on paper in the command center. After a few close calls, he'd decided it would be wiser to move his activities there. But with two of his team members entering the medical room, something he saw from his station in the middle of the floor, he couldn't help but go check things out.

With Baymax trailing behind him, Hiro toddled forward. He blinked in surprise to see GoGo with a fresh bandage on her head and Wasabi looking like he'd gone a shade or two paler than usual. He moved closer and pulled on Troi's pants to get her attention, as she'd come in with the others. "What happen?"

Deanna knelt at Hiro's level with some difficulty. "We had a bit of an accident," she explained, then told him what had transpired.

By that time, Data had joined the party, along with Captain Picard, Fred and Honey Lemon. "If my scans are correct, there was a burst of random energy moments before the opposing car lost control," he informed everyone present. "I do not believe it to be a fault of the man behind the controls of the vehicle."

Baymax shuffled forward to scan all involved in the accident, offering treatment as necessary. For Deanna, he suggested alternating hot and cold packs, along with pain killer to relieve any residual pain. Wasabi was also urged to take some form of pain killer as his muscles seemed to have suffered the most from the trauma, probably because he'd tensed up at the moment of collision. Thankfully, he hadn't torn anything but would be sore for a good while. As for GoGo, he detected glass burn from hitting and rubbing up against the window, along with a mild concussion. Not detecting anything else that would cause concern, he advised her to rest for now.

Picard, not having heard the details, asked Data to explain while the others were being treated. Once finished, he stood back, a hand to his chin as he thought things over. "It would seem to me that several major incidents have occurred to or around your people," he observed.

Fred couldn't help but nod. "I think you're right," he agreed. "Maybe it has something to do with our being in close quarters or something. I don't know."

But the captain ignored the otaku's thoughts as he turned back to the android. "Mr. Data, how likely is it that these events are somehow related to a specific member of our party?"

Data contemplated that for a moment before answering. "It is possible," he admitted. "However, without more information, I cannot be certain. There are other incidents to take into account as well. Many of those incidents took place in areas we have not yet reached. And while some of the incidents we investigated today were unrelated, it is possible there are more out there that are."

"Not that knowing that's really helpful," Wasabi groaned as Baymax handed him an ice pack. The muscles in his back had started to act up, probably from being overly tense. "I don't know about you, but I'm going to bed." He moved around the rest of those in the room as he made his exit.

Hiro tugged on Fred's long shirt, knowing he'd gone with Heathcliff to retrieve their friends. "Whewe acc'dent?" he asked, his eyes wide.

Fred bent down. "Where did it happen?" When Hiro nodded to confirm the question, he told him. "You should have seen the mess," he added. "I thought Wasabi was going to cry as they towed his car away."

"Everyone's emotions were in turmoil," Deanna stated. It wouldn't do to let them make fun of someone not there.

Realizing she'd read his comment the wrong way, Fred straightened up. "I wasn't making fun," he defended. "But you gotta understand. Wasabi's van is like his baby, if he had a baby that is. So if anything happens to his van, it's like someone kicked him in the chest or something."

Honey and GoGo nodded. "It's true," the chemist confirmed. "It's almost like an extension of himself. I don't blame him for being upset."

While they were discussing this event, Hiro toddled off, heading back into the main command center. He had some research to do.


	27. Don't Have That Much Time

The two Doctors felt rather proud of themselves when they triumphantly returned to the Manor. However, the overall atmosphere only seemed to dampen their exuberance. And when they learned about what had happened to Wasabi, Data, Deana, and GoGo, they both wisely chose not to mention anything about their day.

When asked, one merely shrugged while the other simply said, "Oh, it was a bit of a wibbly wobbly one." And neither had the extra TARDIS with them, which had been the point of the whole mission in the first place.

"Couldn't get her out," the blue clad Doctor admitted. "She's stuck tight until she wants free."

That comment earned the both of them some odd looks from the Enterprise crew. Q seemed rather intrigued by the idea though, and was about to ask for more details when Worf rounded on him. He'd been sulking ever since. To be fair, Worf had kept him on a very tight leash as of late.

By the time the evening meal was ready, several members of their group were more than ready to call it a day. Deanna's neck and shoulders still hurt from the accident. GoGo was no longer seeing double, but her head was killing her. And Wasabi hadn't come out of his room since he'd gone there after returning to the Manor. Data, for his part, was still unaffected by events, other than to observe just how much of a disappointment it was that it had brought things to an end sooner than he'd have liked.

At the table once more, Hiro played with his mashed potatoes and peas, driving the little green orbs around his plate like cars. He looked just as bored as he felt. And even the sliced chicken couldn't lighten his mood. If he was being honest, he'd admit to feeling a strange sort of buzzing in his head but didn't have the words to express it.

"Looks like someone's sulking," Honey Lemon whispered to Deanna, who couldn't help but look up at the comment.

Since the party had increased in size, they'd opted to move back into the dining room for the more formal meals, mainly dinner. Even so, they didn't take up even half of the long table, mostly because no one wanted to maintain too large of a gap between their neighbors.

Deanna observed the young boy as he scowled at his plate. She'd noticed him acting more and more like a two-year-old, and less like a more mature teen-aged leader. This was decidedly disconcerting. "It definitely looks like it, doesn't it? We're going to have to do something soon or he might just revert back to this age permanently."

Her comment caused those nearest her to look up, mainly Fred, Baymax, and Honey. Hiro, though close, ignored all of them as he continued to push his peas around his plate. He had way too much on his mind to bother with idle chatter. He'd felt a funny sense of pressure since the others had come back and it was more than distracting. He just couldn't figure out what it was. The buzzing didn't help, making him feel almost nauseous.

"Hiro," Honey worried, "You really should eat something." She reached for his smaller spoon, only to have him knock her hand away

"No!" Hiro gave her an angry glare, mashed potatoes now on his nose.

Honey tried again, wondering what had gotten into her friend. "Hiro, please," she begged. "Please try something." She moved the spoon towards his mouth once more.

This time Hiro slammed his hand against hers, knocking the spoon to the floor. But he didn't stop there. A rage seemed to build inside his tiny body, his whole frame shaking with it. Then he let out a huge scream as he picked up his plate and threw it as far as his little arms would let him.

Hearing his outburst, all eyes turned to the boy at the end of the table. Several mouths fell open in shock at the childish display. Those whose jaws hadn't hit the floor stared in frozen horror as mashed potatoes flew all over the table and onto those nearest the child.

"NO!" Hiro shrieked again as he grabbed the tiny fork near his seat and threw that, along with anything else he could reach. His sippy cup flew into the air, somehow coming unscrewed so juice flew out across the room in a sticky fountain of deep purple. "NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!"

Once he ran out of ammunition, he started pounding on the table, making his booster seat strain against the straps holding it in place. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he stared out in horror at what he'd done but couldn't seem to make his body calm down. Something had snapped and it didn't want to go back together again.

Fred was the first out of his seat, wiping potatoes from his cheek as he walked over to the screaming child. "Hey, Hiro, just calm down, okay?" He leaned closer so he could look directly into the raging toddler's face. "There's no reason to get so upset."

Hiro reached for Fred's hair, pulling him close enough for him to bite him on the nose. Hard.

Fred instinctively swung one hand to break Hiro's hold on him, accidentally hitting the toddler across the face, causing the child to let go. The otaku fell to the ground from the unexpected force, his eyes wide as he stared up at the tantrum-raving boy. The chair his booster seat was attached to wobbled. "Hiro…"

The unexpected smack momentarily stunned the young genius and he stared back at the man who'd administered it. Seeing the damage he'd inflicted, and feeling the sting of the blow, Hiro couldn't help but burst into inconsolable tears. Things were not going how they were supposed to at all. He had no idea why he felt so emotionally unstable, and knowing he'd done something he shouldn't didn't help. But he hadn't seemed able to stop himself. It was almost as if something else had momentarily taken over his body and made him cause havoc in the dining room.

"Oh no," Baymax commented as Honey moved to help Fred up off the floor. "I believe Hiro has experienced a sensory overload."

Deanna handed Honey Lemon her napkin so she could help clean off Fred's face. "Perhaps it would be wise to take Hiro into the other room until he can calm down," she suggested gently. She had mashed potatoes down one arm and in her hair.

Taking the counselor's advice, Baymax unbuckled the sobbing tot. He picked him up, cradling him as close to his vinyl skin as possible. "Counselor," he said as he turned to look at Troi for a moment. "I believe you are correct. Hiro is reverting more to his physical age." With that, he turned and left the room with his young charge.

Q, who sat at the far end of the table near Worf, began eating again. When the silence didn't abate, he looked up. He scowled at the looks directed his way. "What? The tantrum is over and I'm starving. He'll be fine soon enough." Almost doggedly, he continued to eat his meal, ignoring the staring throng.

Both Doctors exchanged glances. "This is far more serious than either of us imagined," the blue clad one commented to the other.

"Agreed," his companion answered back.

* * *

With Baymax busy trying to calm Hiro down, Honey felt honor-bound to help Fred with his injury. Even though she was sure Hiro hadn't meant it, he'd managed to break the skin on Fred's nose with his teeth, causing a trickle of blood to appear at each of the different teeth marks.

Now in the nearest bathroom, Honey dabbed at the swollen nose with a washcloth. "At least he didn't take an actual chunk out of it," she comforted.

Fred sat on the toilet, the lid closed. This was one of the smaller bathrooms. Meant mostly as a powder room, it only had the toilet and a sink set in a small counter space. But at least there was a first aid kit handy, which he'd pulled out for her to use. "I'm not mad at him or anything," he said, sounding more than a little down. "I mean, he's been through a lot. And if he really is regressing like they say, he's got a lot of emotion in there he doesn't know how to handle. I'd probably throw a tantrum too if I were in his shoes."

Honey was just about to apply some antiseptic to the wound when GoGo entered the small room. She leaned against the door frame, looking bored. "Hey, Honey, Baymax asked for you." She indicated the area behind her with a nod of her head. "I'll take over in here."

Giving both of them a rather apologetic smile, Honey excused herself. She all but breezed out of the door in search of the healthcare robot and his young charge.

GoGo let out her breath as she stared at Fred's redder than usual nose. "Really did a number on you, didn't he?" Still looking as disinterested as ever, she pushed away from the wall and retrieved the antiseptic wipe Honey had set aside upon leaving the room.

"Yeah," Fred replied, his face falling even more. "I can't help but think we don't have that much time, you know what I mean?"

Taking Fred's face in her hands, GoGo looked into his eyes, the wipe set aside for the moment. "Hey, we're going to find a way to return him to normal. Even if we don't get Q's powers back, there's got to be a way."

Fred looked into her eyes as if searching them for some kind of answer. GoGo's hands were still on his face, gently holding him still. And her eyes were depth-less pools that he wanted to drown in. Without thinking, he moved his face closer to hers, tilting his head ever so slightly. Before he made contact with her lips, however, he pulled back, looking awkward. "Uh... sorry about that. I didn't mean..." He looked away in embarrassment.

But before he had the chance to really apologize, he felt her hands grab his face once more, pulling him back towards her. Then her lips were against his in a manner a lot more forceful than he'd planned only moments earlier. But when she pulled away from him, he saw stars and fireworks shooting off in his head. Almost hesitantly, he licked his lips. "Uh... GoGo...?" He could taste a faint hint of her chap stick, something that reminded him of cherries.

"Oh shut up," GoGo responded, sounding gruff as she picked up the wipe once more and placed it on his nose.

Fred couldn't help but pull back at the abrupt stinging of his wounded appendage. "Ow!"

GoGo winced a little at that, her hand jerking away. "Sorry," she apologized as she hesitantly moved the cloth back towards his face. "We can keep that just between the two of us, okay?"

Fred looked back into her eyes, not sure what he saw, but there was a hint of that usual gruff nature she liked to hide behind. "Uh, sure," he agreed, still in a bit of shock from the whole incident. "Yeah. Probably better that way."

GoGo rolled her eyes. "Not a word," she ordered as she finished cleaning him up, then put a medicated band aide over his injury. "Got it?"

The otaku pulled back just a little at the intensity in her eyes. Despite her tone, he couldn't help but feel a little like he was floating. Maybe Hiro being a toddler wasn't entirely a bad thing after all.

* * *

When Honey Lemon entered the small sitting room where she'd been told Baymax was, she wasn't entirely prepared for what met her eyes. Yes, she'd expected Hiro to still be crying. Why else would Baymax request her presence? But what she hadn't expected to see was the young boy kicking and screaming on the carpet, his face red from screaming.

"What happened?" Honey inquired as she glanced at Baymax. It took her a moment to realize Deanna was also in the room.

Troi stood up from her place on a sofa, walking around the irate child to join Honey. "We're not really sure. The only real emotion I can clearly identify is frustration, tinged with a great deal of fear and outrage."

Hiro's screaming was more sob-filled than it had been at the table. All the same, it wasn't a pretty sight. His face was getting redder as he pounded away at the carpet, his little arms and legs flailing. He was so caught up in the moment he had no way out of it.

Honey couldn't help but feel shocked at this behavior. He'd seemed fine earlier that day. What had changed? Or had anything changed at all? It was hard to say. "Baymax," she called out to the healthcare bot, "what happened when you brought him in here?"

Baymax shuffled closer, also avoiding the flailing arms. "Hiro continued to sob as I left the dining room," he stated. "When we entered this room, his entire body went stiff for several seconds. I set him down so I could go retrieve his blanket. However, as soon as he was on the ground, he began to exhibit the behavior you see now. I have not left him the entire time."

At that moment, Hiro let out a particularly ear-piercing shriek before flopping back against the ground in a heaving heap. His chest rose and fell with labored breathing as he rolled over onto his back and just stared up at the ceiling. His eyes seemed unfocused, his body listless.

"Hiro?" Honey asked hesitantly as she pushed her hair back behind her ear. She cautiously moved closer, bending down to his level. "Are you okay?"

Hiro's chest continued to heave as he stared upwards with unblinking eyes. His little body shivered when she gently touched his arm. He closed his eyes, keeping them closed for several long seconds before opening them once more. His eyes still gleamed with tears waiting to be shed. "Want Dashi," he finally said, his young voice trembling. "Whewe Dashi?"

Honey couldn't help but look up at Baymax and Deanna with a pained expression. "Please don't tell me his memory is also reverting," she pleaded.

"Whewe Dashi!" Hiro screamed. "Want Dashi! Want Dashi!" He couldn't explain it, even if he'd tried, but somehow, Hiro felt pain all over. Behind his closed eyes, he saw images flashing so rapidly he couldn't grasp them. And none of them made sense. Why did he see himself being pummeled by Yama's men? And why wasn't Tadashi there to soothe it all away?

Troi looked back down at the distraught child. "Hiro's emotional stability has decidedly taken a turn for the worst," she answered Honey's inquiry. "As for his mental capacity, it's entirely possible his brain is trying to compensate for the change by suppressing certain memories. Without further resources, I can't honestly say what's going on."

Tears leaked out of the corner of Honey's eyes. "How do we tell him Tadashi isn't coming?"

The counselor looked up at that, understanding flickering behind her eyes. "That's right," she said slowly as she sat down on the nearest chair. "You told me Tadashi died in a fire."

"Want Dashi!" Hiro continued to sniffle, his energy slowly wearing down. He curled up onto his side, the first three fingers of his right hand in his mouth as he sucked on them. His small frame continued to shake with each hiccupping sob.

After several minutes of relative silence, Hiro nodded off, more than worn out. Deanna let out a sigh. "I wish I could tell you one way or another if this is a temporary setback or not," she said, breaking the ice. "Something obviously happened to trigger this but I don't know what."

Baymax tilted his head as he scanned the sleeping boy. "I failed to mention that when the second episode occurred, Hiro did exhibit some unusual brain activity."

Not wanting to wake the sleeping boy, Deanna motioned for them to step out into the hall. Chances were good if he woke up again, he'd be right back at it. And that couldn't be good for his emotional well-being. "What do you mean?" she asked, the door now partially closed behind them.

The robot seemed to consider her question for a moment before answering. "When Hiro went rigid, I detected a change in brain wave activity," he admitted. "Upon further consideration, it is possible there was a slight increase in energy levels similar to those present when he reverted to his current form."

With her one good hand, Deanna grasped the robot's shoulder. Her entire body was tense as she looked into his hyper-spectral eyes. "Are you sure?"

Baymax blinked slowly as he reevaluated the stored information. "Yes," he answered after only a few seconds' pause. "The increase was of a smaller level than previous encounters. However, it is possible that increase caused this episode."

But before Deanna could make any further inquiries, a bright light seemed to emanate from the room they'd just vacated. The closest one to the door, the counselor had to shield her eyes as the light intensified before going out.

Only a few paces away, Honey Lemon couldn't help but step forward. "What in the world?" Honey asked as she also shielded her eyes.

Baymax turned towards the room in question, his eyes scanning the room. "Oh no," he uttered.

"What do you mean by 'oh no'?" Honey asked hesitantly, her stomach already feeling heavier than usual. Something bad had obviously just happened, otherwise Baymax wouldn't have said that.

Baymax moved to the door as he spoke. "I am no longer detecting Hiro's presence." With one swift push, the door opened and the two women crowded behind him to look inside.

All eyes focused on the floor in front of them. The area where Hiro had been sleeping only moments before was empty.

* * *

James stared at the now occupied back seat of the small car he'd "borrowed". He couldn't believe his eyes. It just wasn't possible. And yet it was.

Only hours before, he'd been pacing the back alleys, stewing over various ideas that had swarmed in his head. Going to that upscale shopping center had changed something. For whatever reason, he thought it was all connected somehow. He just couldn't begin to understand how. But here was the answer to all his problems. Providing he didn't get caught.

Preparation had taken longer than he'd anticipated, once he'd decided on his course of action. It was the only one that made sense, especially after he'd seen that young father flashing around that gold card of his, and his presumed wife taking it. And with such a young child... well, it was perfect. Who wouldn't want to move heaven and earth to get back their infant son? Besides, they both looked like total pushovers.

So, with ideas swirling around in his head, and having heard the name Whitmore thrown around, he'd done some research. That research landed him in front of the Whitmore Manor. If those guys could afford such a large house, surely there was more than enough to spread around. And, ever since he'd chosen this line of action, his powers were more inclined to give him what he wanted.

First, he'd requested a place to store the little brat. The energy had taken him to an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town. It was near the area where they'd had a total burnout only months before. No one in their right mind would look for anyone there. Add to that the fact that he'd somehow conjured up a decent room to store the kid in so he wouldn't hurt himself too badly... well, it was all coming together.

The next step, of course, had been in getting a way to transport the child. Even if his newfound abilities wanted to cooperate, he doubted he'd be able to wish the kid safely transported over a dozen kilometers without something coming up. The solution was easy access to a car someone had left running while running into a convenient store. He'd just got behind the wheel and drove off.

And, with his mojo working, he'd managed to change the vehicle's color and plates without anyone the wiser, and at no cost to him either. So even if the owner did declare it stolen, they wouldn't easily recognize it even if they came across it. Not unless they looked at the VIN, which he wasn't going to let happen.

An almost giddy laugh escaped James' lips as he looked at the back seat once more. He was tempted to do a little dance but didn't. He might wake the child. It didn't matter that he didn't even know the youth's name. He had him and that's what counted. At last, things were going right.

Turning back to face the front, James snatched up the envelope he'd prepared beforehand. He'd taken the necessary precaution of wearing gloves so none of his fingerprints would show on the paper. He'd also used water to seal the envelope as a similar precaution. He'd watched too many crime dramas to make _that_ mistake.

Glad he'd chosen to wear black, James did his best to blend in with the shadows. Either luck was on his side, or something else, but he managed to make it to the front step of the Manor without anyone noticing, or at least making a comment. He then quietly left the envelope on the doormat and returned to the car.

Hugging himself, James got back behind the wheel and put on his seat belt. He'd have to drive slowly to make sure he didn't wake the boy up, though he doubted there would be any problems. Luck was on his side. And so were the green lights. He almost leapt for joy but stopped himself. One, he'd hit his head on the roof. Two, he didn't have room. But there was plenty of time for that later. He'd lead them on a goose chase first, then he'd ask for the payout.


	28. You Know What This Means

"What do you mean he's gone?" GoGo asked, her face showing just how incredulous she felt at the announcement. "He can't be gone. You were just with him! There's no way he could have just wandered off!" Her loud voice filled the hall like a bullhorn, causing those still in the dining room to peer out the double-doors to see what was going on.

She and Fred were headed back to their dinners when they'd run across Honey Lemon, Deanna, and Baymax. The two women had looked frantic; giving her ample reason to question what was going on.

Honey started at her tone, jumping back just a little. To say her friend was upset would be an understatement. "I don't know," she responded. "He was there one moment, gone the next. And I know he couldn't have just wandered off. We were right outside the only door."

Picard entered the hall, followed by the two Doctors, Q, and Worf. Data trailed behind them all, looking confused. "What in the blazes is going on?" he asked rather impatiently. The entire evening's events had left him more than a little unnerved.

"Hiro's missing," Deanna supplied. "We left him sleeping in the room only for a moment. Then there was a bright flash of light and he was gone."

Q stepped forward, his expression a mixture of horrified indignation. "A flash of light and he was gone? You can't be serious."

Baymax took that moment to confirm their statements. "That is correct," he asserted. "I can no longer detect his presence inside this building."

"What are we waiting for?" Fred called out. "We should start searching the house, top to bottom, just to be sure." Part of him hoped this would be just like when Hiro and Baymax had gone off only a few days ago, only to return with an unconscious Q in their arms. He didn't care of Baymax said he could sense his presence or not. At least it was something to do.

GoGo shook her head. "Won't do much good. If Baymax says he's not here, he's not here. Our best bet is to scan the city to see if we can find him."

Before anyone could make any further motions, however, Heathcliff approached bearing a silver tray with a letter on top. "Master Frederick, I found this at the front door," he said as he offered the letter to the young master.

With all eyes on him, Fred picked up the envelope and slit it open with a finger. Then, almost as if he were afraid of what was inside, he pulled out the plain sheet of paper. After a few moments of scanning it, his entire face seemed to fall. "Uh, guys…" He held out the letter for anyone to take.

GoGo was the closest as she reached for it, almost giving Fred a paper cut from the force behind her motion. Her eyes widened as she read it out loud. "Dear Mr. Whitmore, I just wanted to let you know I have taken your son. If you want him back, follow my instructions to the letter. No cops. Period. I'll be in touch soon." She handed the paper to Deanna, who held out her hand to receive it. "What kind of nonsense is this? You're the only child the Whitmores have!"

Honey Lemon let out a small gasp. "Oh no," she uttered, one hand going to her mouth as the realization set in. "Earlier this morning, when we took Hiro back to the store, Fred pretended to be his father. Maybe the kidnapper overheard and thought…" she trailed off, unable to finish.

Q stared impatiently at those gathered. "You do know what this means, don't you?" he asked in a rather presumptuous manner.

The two Doctors exchanged looks with each other. One had his hands clasped behind his back while the other had his hands thrust in his pockets. Their expressions were thoughtful but stern at the same time. Either way, it didn't look like they liked what was going on.

"Anyone?" Q said, breaking the momentary silence.

Worf glared at him. "Stop beating around the bush and tell us," he ordered, looking more than willing to tear the man apart limb from limb.

Rolling his eyes at the tone the Klingon used, Q took a step towards the center of the confusion. "Isn't it obvious? Whoever this person is, he's somehow managed to harness my powers." He paused at the varying looks of shock and disbelief around him. "What? It's true. Don't you see? Counselor Troi said she saw a bright flash of light before the little imp disappeared. What usually happens when I pull that same trick? A flash of light! I somehow doubt there is any other explanation that fits."

Troi felt an unusual amount of emotion coming from Q as she listened to his theory. "It is possible," she admitted. "The flash of light did resemble the typical appearances associated with Q's power."

Baymax shuffled closer as well. "I detected an increase in energy around Hiro moments before he disappeared," he admitted.

"There!" Q cried out as he clapped his hands, his expression showing triumph. "Don't you see! Someone has to have harnessed my powers." Then he became more somber. "Which means someone else is using my abilities in ways I would never condone. I can't take this lying down! Something must be done about this! Immediately!"

Data glanced inquiringly at the raving man. "What do you propose we do?"

Q all but bounced over to the android. "Why, go after this conniving human and get my powers back, of course! What else?"

Worf took that opportunity to move towards the man with a look of annoyance. "Captain, recommend we restrain Q and confine him to quarters."

But Picard raised a hand. "No," he replied. "Q's right."

His declaration caused all to stare at him with varying degrees of shock, the majority of which came from his crew.

"But, Captain!" Worf protested, his arms now down at his sides.

With an almost incredulous smile on his wife, Picard shook his head. "No. I can hardly believe I'm saying this but Q has a valid point. If we are to rescue Hiro, we will have to find the man who took him. To do that, we must find the highest concentration of this energy. We find that, we will likely find Hiro."

The two Doctors nodded in unison. "He's right, you know," the blue clad one said. "Our best chance of finding Hiro is to find the man who's using this man's powers." He indicated Q with a slight nudge of his hip. His hands were still firmly in his pockets.

Worf still didn't look convinced. "I must protest."

"Oh save your breath," Q retorted in kind, screwing his face up in a scowl. "By finding the man who has my powers, _MY_ powers, we find your little infant whelp and everything can return to normal and we can all go home. Everybody wins."

Honey pushed her glasses back up her nose as she moved a little closer to the new center of conversation. "But how do we do that? We don't even know where they've taken him let alone who they are."

GoGo thrust her chin out as she popped a pink bubble. "We have Baymax scan the city. That way we'll know exactly where he is. Easy."

"I only hope you're right," Q said with a huge dose of skepticism as he looked at the inflatable marshmallow. His confidence in the robot was not all that high.

* * *

Two hours later, GoGo threw her helmet to the ground of the command center in frustration. She and Baymax had just returned from the upper strata of the city where they'd scanned the whole area from what seemed like fifty million angles. All for nothing. No signs. Nothing. Either Hiro was in some place Baymax couldn't penetrate with his scanners, like Akuma Island, or he was no longer in the area at all.

"This is bull crap!" GoGo yelled as she kicked at the helmet, sending it skittering across the floor.

Baymax stood back while she displayed her frustration, waiting patiently for someone to help him out of his armor. "Your blood pressure is elevated," he observed.

GoGo turned an acid glare at him. "No duh! All this time spent out there looking for the stupid kid and what do we come back with? Nothing! Absolutely nothing! You bet my blood pressure is elevated!"

Fred walked into the command room, only to duck back as GoGo managed to send her helmet towards the door frame like it was some kind of soccer ball. He peered back in at the sound of the headgear skidding against the floor. "Wow," he said, his eyes wide as he took in her emotional state. "That bad?"

She strode over to him, her fist all but in his face as her whole body seemed to shake. But if she was going to let one fly, she chose not to, perhaps on principle. Or maybe for some other reason. Perhaps it was because he was the only one, aside from Baymax, in the room. Either way, instead of punching him, she let her body slump against his in defeat. "We couldn't find him," she admitted.

Fred wasn't really sure how to handle this situation because she'd already told him not to tell anyone about their little incident in the bathroom. But he couldn't just let her sit there against him without doing something. After all, he was an honorable dude. So he did the only natural thing and pulled her into a big hug. "Hey," he said as gently as possible. "We'll find him, okay?"

GoGo turned so her face was buried in his chest. It wasn't something she'd normally do. With anyone. But, for whatever reason, she needed it, needed that physical contact. She needed someone to tell her it was going to be okay, that she didn't always have to be the strong one. And though Baymax often provided that entity for Hiro, he just didn't cut it for her.

But even with that need for physical reassurance, she didn't let any tears fall. It wasn't her style. Crying was a sign of weakness, no matter what anyone said. It just wasn't her thing. So, after a good half minute of being held in Fred's arms, GoGo pulled away. She exhaled as she did so, trying to push out all the fear and frustration with it. "Thanks," she said as she patted the otaku on the shoulder. "Guess I'd better go tell the others."

Fred watched as she headed out the door. The moment she was out of sight, he turned to Baymax who was still patiently waiting for someone to divest him of his armor. "Um… hey," he said rather uncomfortably. He walked towards the robot, rubbing at the back of his neck. "So um… No Hiro?"

Baymax blinked at him. "I was unable to find him," he admitted, his head seeming to drop. "I performed over one hundred scans of the city. Unless he is somehow shielded from my sensor, I do not believe he is in San Fransokyo at this time."

Careful not to damage anything, Fred began to take the red armor off his vinyl friend. "Yeah, kinda figured that's what happened." His head hung down as he carried each piece of Baymax's gear to its designated shelving space. "What about GoGo? Think she'll be okay?"

Quickly accessing his most recent scan of the athlete, Baymax hung his head. "I do not know. Her emotional state has degraded drastically. I believe the only way to change this is if we find Hiro."

"Yeah," Fred agreed. His whole body felt heavy, like he was dragging through sand. "You're probably right. Guess we'd better go join the others." He slouched over even more as he headed to the door, the white marshmallow following close behind.

* * *

After GoGo reported what had happened, and how they couldn't even detect any of the weird energy floating around, both of the Doctors insisted everyone try and get some sleep. Baymax added his two cents agreeing to that point. There was obviously nothing else they could do at the moment so the majority agreed.

Despite admonitions to try and get some shut eye, Fred couldn't seem to make his brain shut up. Part of him wondered if it wasn't his fault this had happened. Maybe if he hadn't pretended to Hiro's dad at the store, the kidnapper wouldn't have taken Hiro. And if that was the case, it had to be his fault. So if anyone had the right to feel guilty about the whole situation it was him.

He stared almost listlessly up at his bedroom ceiling. Where was Hiro now? Was he scared? Was he okay? Had someone hurt him or was he being taken care of? He had no answers, which left his imagination way too much to draw on.

Finally, Fred decided he had to do something. He didn't know what. Anything would do. So he headed back to the command center. Baymax's charger had been returned to that room shortly after he'd completed a final scan of those injured in the car accident earlier. Without Hiro, he wasn't necessarily needed to keep an eye on anyone while they slept.

Fred slipped into the room with slipper-clad feet. He hadn't bothered to change out of his pajamas, a two piece pants and top set with a Godzilla theme printed on the fabric. "Hey, Baymax," he said rather dejectedly as he slumped into his recliner.

Baymax blinked curiously at the hero, scanning him as per usual. "Hello, Fred," he greeted in kind. "Is something troubling you? You seem distressed."

The otaku ran a hand over his face, his fingers momentarily catching on the band aid on his nose. "I guess you could say that," he sighed. "I think Hiro's being kidnapped is my fault."

Not sure what his companion meant, Baymax stepped free of his charger to approach the dejected man. "I do not understand."

Fred's body seemed to go limp, conforming to the chair with one leg over the corresponding armrest, his head resting just on the other. "If I hadn't pretended to be Hiro's dad back at the store, this might not have happened," he confessed. "I was careless and it got Hiro in trouble."

Contemplating what Fred had just said, Baymax tilted his head to one side. "I do not believe you are to blame for Hiro's disappearance," he stated.

Fred looked up, his face still showing clear signs of his emotional state. He raised one hand and patted the robot, who had moved much closer. "Thanks, Baymax. But I still think it's my fault. It has to be. And because of me, GoGo's been hurt too."

It took the vinyl marshmallow a moment but he made the connection. "Are you more upset that Hiro is missing or that GoGo is distressed?"

That got Fred's attention in a hurry and he sat up part of the way. He had to think about that. Which was he more upset about? Hiro going missing was obviously a big deal. He was the leader of the group, the one who'd pulled them all together when Tadashi died. But GoGo was someone he also cared about deeply. He'd never admitted it to anyone, but he thought he was beginning to develop feelings for her. "Um…"

"Having clarity of thought will help you to see things more clearly," Baymax stated helpfully. "It is alright to be upset. I do not like that Hiro is missing. I also do not like that GoGo is suffering."

Fred gave a slight smile at that. "That makes two of us," he admitted. "I just can't stand to see her like that. I mean, I've never seen her look like that before. She just looked so... I don't know… defeated."

"It will be alright," Baymax said. "We will find Hiro."

Still not feeling it, Fred slumped back into the chair once more. "Yeah. We have to."


	29. You Awake In There?

Hiro felt weird. He just couldn't put an exact name to how he felt. His eyes felt heavy and foggy. And his body felt weak and useless. He hadn't eaten anything since lunch. In fact, the last thing he really remembered was sitting at the dinner table, pushing peas around his plate. That's where things went blank. Maybe he'd been drugged? The sensation almost reminded him of something he'd experienced before but he couldn't remember what.

With an effort, he managed to make his limbs move, rubbing at his eyes to clear them. When he was finally able to open his eyes, he felt his body tense. This was not a room he recognized. In fact, he was pretty sure it wasn't any room in any place he'd been before. Where was he? And how on earth had he gotten there?

He felt his chest tighten as a sense of panic filled him. What was going on? Where was he? Why was he there? The panic threatened to overwhelm him, making it hard to breath. It didn't help that his chest constricted like it had when he'd broken his ribs. And it hurt just as much.

_Calm down_ , he told himself. _Just calm down. There has to be a logical explanation_. The weird thing was he wasn't sure how he was thinking so logically when whispered memories told him he shouldn't be. He was still stuck in the body of a two-year-old. Shouldn't he be acting like one? His friends had said he was regressing. Shouldn't his mind also have regressed then? Or were they wrong? Had something else happened instead?

After several minutes of talking himself down, Hiro felt his chest loosen. Calmer now, he moved to sit up, realizing he was in a nest of rough blankets. The walls around him were dark, kind of industrial in feel. There were no windows and only one door. It was made of metal. His nest of blankets was on a hard floor that looked like it was made from cement.

Overhead, industrial lights hung, though they weren't turned on. Maybe they couldn't be turned on. The room smelled musty, like no one had used it in a long time. And it smelled a little damp too, if he was being honest.

What time was it? He had no idea. Getting up onto somewhat shaky legs, he toddled towards the door. There wasn't a handle on his side. And when he pushed against it, it didn't so much as budge a millimeter. Either he just wasn't strong enough or it was locked from the other side. That wasn't good.

Hiro felt his breathing come more rapidly again. He had to force the panic back down. Obviously he wasn't in any place he knew. Chances were good someone had taken him, though he had no idea who or how. With his friends practically standing guard around him, he couldn't see how it was possible. Unless...

No. That couldn't be, he thought. Why would Q's powers remove him from his friend's home? There wasn't any logical reason behind it. Just like there was no logical reason behind why it had turned him into a child. Maybe he was looking at this the wrong way. Too bad he didn't have Baymax to spot him so he could look for a new angle.

The screeching of metal broke into Hiro's train of thought and all sense of logic fled his mind. He backed away from the door, his heart suddenly pounding. He kept moving backward until he ran into the nest of blankets, falling onto his rear.

The sound came closer, like someone was dragging something across the floor. Then it stopped. There was some shuffling from the other side of the door. Then a rattling of what might have been keys. With a squeak of protest, the door slowly moved outward.

"You awake in there?"

The voice was decidedly not familiar. Definitely masculine. And, for whatever reason, it made the panic rise in Hiro once more. He scrambled back into the nest, pulling the blankets up around him.

"Don't be afraid," the voice continued as the door closed once more. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Hiro shuddered in his little ball, head covered. He could hear heavy footsteps coming closer. His mind seemed to fragment with the panic as he felt a hand pull at the blanket. "No!" he cried out, trying to get away from the probing hands. "Max! Dashi!"

The fumbling hands pulled the top blanket free, exposing the youth. He stared upwards with wide eyes. The man leaning over him was probably in his mid thirties. He had dark hair that needed to be trimmed. He could also use a shave as there was a decided five o'clock shadow covering his chin and most of his cheeks. And he was wearing dark clothes that looked second-hand.

"Hey," the man said. "You're going to be fine. Just calm down. I promise I'm not going to hurt you."

But Hiro couldn't calm down. His terror outweighed any reason and he continued to hyperventilate. "Dashi! Max! Dashi!" he screamed.

A look of impatient crossed James' face as he watched the little boy fall apart in front of him. He really didn't know how to deal with children, let alone infants. There were decidedly a lot of things he hadn't taken into account going into this. "Stop screaming," he ordered as he grabbed the child's arm.

"No!" Hiro cried out, trying to pull free but to no avail. His strength was no match for the older man's. "Wet go! Wet go! Dashi! Max!"

A sense of impatience bubbled up inside James and he hoisted the struggling child into the air by holding him near the armpits. "Now you hear me," he said in a more hostile voice than he'd planned. "You stop it right now or you'll never see them again. Got it?" He gave the boy a little shake to get his point across.

Shocked, Hiro fell silent. He had no idea what this man intended but apparently it wasn't good. He nodded mutely, warm liquid running down his legs. He looked down in fear, then back up. "Acc'dent," he hesitated, his eyes far too wide.

James had no idea what he was doing. The fact that the kid had peed himself was decidedly not on his list of possibilities. Almost gingerly, he put Hiro down. "I'll get you something to clean up with," he said as he turned and left the room. The door closed behind him, locking.

Hiro stood where he'd been put down, staring at the door in terror.

* * *

GoGo woke a lot earlier than she'd planned. They had gone to bed rather late the night before, and with her current wake up time, that meant she'd only had maybe four hours of sleep. But her dreams were bad and wouldn't let her just roll over and close her eyes. So, instead of trying to go back to bed, she decided to talk to Baymax. He might admonish her about sleeping at all with a concussion but she didn't care.

Even though it was only four in the morning, GoGo felt like keeping things on the down low. She changed into her usual garb, mostly black in color. She didn't bother turning on any lights as she left the room. She felt a little bad about leaving Honey there, without telling her where she was going. But the blonde chemist was still sleeping and she wanted it to stay that way. At least for now. Let her sleep while she could.

Not really walking on tiptoe, though extremely tempted, GoGo made her way to the command room. She was about to flip on the lights when she realized she wasn't the only one who'd had the same idea. Fred was slouching in his recliner. And he was asleep. She could hear his quiet snoring fill the room.

"Hello, GoGo," Baymax greeted from the shadows. He tried to speak quietly so as not to startle her, but it failed.

GoGo didn't necessarily jump so much as freeze. She turned quickly towards the sound of Baymax's voice, breathing out a sigh of relief. "Oh, it's just you," she said in relief. "How long's Fred been here?" She pointed a thumb in the sleeping mascot's direction.

"Fred has been here since eleven thirty last night," Baymax answered as he moved away from his charging station. Once Fred had fallen asleep, he'd returned to the station to make sure he was at full capacity. "I detect that you have not received the recommended amount of sleep. Is there anything I can do to help?"

The adrenaline junky shook her head as she moved to Hiro's usual perch near the 3D computer. "Couldn't sleep. Besides, I thought I wasn't supposed with a concussion," she said in response to his question. "I can't help but think about Hiro, wondering where he is. I mean, he's a pain in the neck sometimes. But he's our friend. Taking charge while he was just a toddler was one thing, but now that he's missing..."

Baymax blinked at her, contemplating all the data provided. Then he turned and waddled towards the far side of the room. "I did not say you could not sleep," he said as he walked away.

"Thanks, I guess," GoGo said, realizing he was leaving her. She suddenly felt a great sense of abandonment. It was bad enough that Hiro was gone, but Baymax was one of the other constants in her life right now. She was about ready to head back to her room when she noticed him pick something up and turn to start towards her once more.

Baymax shuffled back towards the center of the room, holding a rolled paper in his hands. Once he returned to where GoGo was, he handed the large roll to her. "Hiro was working on this while everyone was busy with other projects," he said.

GoGo gingerly took the rolled paper. It was about the same size as the maps Data had drawn; only this one had a lot more crinkles and such on. Carefully, she unrolled it on a clear space on Honey's work table, using empty beakers to hold the edge down. She looked up, her expression confused. "Baymax, what is this?"

Little clusters of blue and red crayon stared up from the map of the city. Small slips of paper had been taped next to each area in a somewhat messy manner, leading GoGo to believe Hiro had done the pasting without help. Despite the slips being small, they still covered a good chunk of the page due to the sheer number of them. A line had been meticulously drawn from each slip to a corresponding dot.

The robot leaned over the map. "Hiro asked me to help him compile a list of all events that might be related to our current circumstances. I do not know the exact reason as he had difficulty explaining to me what he wanted. However, I do know the red sections indicate areas he felt sure were caused by the energy running through the city. The blue sections are areas he thought were man-made."

"Hiro did all of this?" She couldn't help but stare incredulously at the map in front of her. There were two distinct clusters of red, with a third that wasn't quite as clear, as there was a lot of blue mixed in. There were a few random spots of red as well. "These are centered near the Manor and the Lucky Cat Café," she observed as she pointed. "And that one's centered at the school."

GoGo winced as she jarred her head when she pulled back from leaning over the map. She placed one hand to the side of her head where the bandage from earlier still covered the glass burn there. It almost hurt like the ricocheted bullet she'd encountered back with their first adventure with the Doctor.

Baymax watched GoGo, performing a quick scan. "You seem to be experiencing increased pain and disorientation," he observed. "If you would like, you may take more medicine to help with the pain."

She knew he was right as she closed her eyes. Maybe she'd hit her head harder than she'd thought. The room had, for the briefest of moments, begun to spin and she put her hands on the work table to try and steady it. "I'm fine," she replied. "Finding Hiro is more important." Maybe the dizziness was more from lack of sleep than anything else.

"You won't do anyone a lick of good if you don't take care of yourself," the blue clad Doctor said as he entered the room. "I've been keeping an eye on you and I know you're not as fine as you're pretending." He waved a finger in her face. "You should take Baymax on his offer of more pain killers."

GoGo looked over to the Doctor, wondering just how long he'd been there. She didn't remember hearing him enter the room. But, then again, he could walk quietly if he really wanted to. That and she'd been distracted with the throbbing behind her temples. She let out an aggrieved sigh. "Someone has to be strong, for Hiro's sake," she retorted.

Hands in his pockets as he watched her, the Doctor rocked back slightly on his heels. "Being strong doesn't mean you have to ignore your own needs," he stated. "I have a few theories about Hiro regardless, so don't worry your little head about that."

The look she gave him could have melted most plastic. "Don't worry my little head about it? Are you kidding? How can I _not_ worry about it?! This is Hiro we're talking about!" She took a moment to pause. "Wait. Did you say you have a few theories?"

The Doctor gave a bemused smile. "That I did. But they can wait until later. Besides, everyone else is still asleep, like you should be. Don't make me tell you again. I think you'll be fine, unless Baymax thinks otherwise." His smile had turned to a stern look one might give a recalcitrant child, though he did glance questioningly over at Baymax for confirmation on the sleep part.

Baymax seemed to nod, though it was really hard to tell. "Despite the increase in disorientation, I still feel it will be alright for you to sleep. Perhaps it will help with your current symptoms."

GoGo rolled her eyes. She knew she was being coddled and didn't like it. But she knew the Doctor, at least this incarnation of him, well enough to know she wasn't going to get anything else out of him until the others were awake. And short of waking them up… well, it wasn't advisable. She would just have to wait. "Fine," she relented; arms folded across her chest once more. "Pain killers and bed for me. But you might want to check that map over." She pointed at the sheet of paper on the worktable.

Pulling out his glasses, the Doctor waved her off. Once he was sure she was leaving, he went to the document in question, examining it. "Have you seen this?" he asked, forgetting that only Baymax was now there to listen to him.

* * *

Hiro couldn't help but feel a sense of relief when the man came again. He hadn't stayed long, just long enough to thrust some cleaning supplies at the child, along with an oversized t-shirt. There were no other clothes available, apparently. Not even a diaper, though that was a mixed blessing. At least the man wasn't going to do anything they'd both regret. Though Hiro couldn't help but wonder if the guy had a screw loose or something. Who gave a toddler cleaning supplies? Okay, so maybe he hadn't given him anything that would really get anyone in trouble. It was just a bucket of water and some rags, but still! Who did that?!

With what little ability he had remaining, Hiro did his best to clean himself up. Then he donned the t-shirt, which looked more like an oversized nightshirt on him. It reached down to the floor. The hole for his head was also too big and threatened to slide down one shoulder, but at least he wasn't showing off anything he shouldn't. It was just a bit breezy downstairs.

Not sure what to do with his soiled clothes, he pushed them into a pile by the door, along with the dirty cleaning cloths. He half wished he was still in his teenage form. His moments of mental clarity were starting to lag and he didn't like that. But at least he wasn't in any immediate danger. Or didn't think he was.

Now that he was more awake, and sort of clothed in something clean, Hiro couldn't help but try and look around more at his surroundings. Without any windows, it was hard to tell what time it was, night or day. And with nothing to climb on, he couldn't reach the ventilation system he could see attached to the ceiling. He was effectively trapped, with no way out but the door he stood next to. Even the bucket was worthless in helping him get out.

Hiro's stomach rumbled and he rubbed his belly. It had been quite some time since he'd last eaten and he had no idea if this lunatic was going to feed him or not. He could live without food for maybe three days, but he'd need water, clean water. Hopefully his kidnapper would at least supply that. But it didn't look like that was going to happen any time soon. Okay, maybe he could last two days. He was smaller with a higher metabolism now.

Deciding there was nothing else to do; Hiro moved back to the nest of blankets and settled down. If sleep claimed him, maybe the time would go by more quickly. If not, he'd have more than enough time to try and figure out just what was going on and how to escape.

* * *

James paced inside the warehouse. He'd given the brat the essentials to clean up his mess. But since he had no experience with kids, he just hoped the little guy had some idea of what to do. If not, well, sucked to be him.

He'd tried to summon a few things he might need, including diapers. But, for whatever reason, his newfound powers were being fritzy again. No matter what he wanted, even down to something as small as an apple, it wouldn't come.

In a fit of rage, James flung several loose canisters against the wall. They clanged loudly in the open space, echoing around the room. Why couldn't this be easier! He'd done what he'd set out to do. It had been easy then. Why couldn't he conjure up some of the simplest things to make it even easier on himself?

He kicked at one of the metal desks bolted to the floor, then immediately regretted it. His shoes were no match for the steel plates comprising the furniture. He went down as he nursed his foot. At least he hadn't kicked it hard enough to break anything. It would probably hurt for a good couple of hours though.

Maybe it was a good idea to plan out his next move. He'd have to find some way to feed the kid so he didn't starve to death. That and he needed to decide how he wanted to proceed from here. He hadn't given the parents much to go on, just that warning. Maybe it was time to start leading them around, just as a precaution. Yeah, he'd start doing that. Once the sun actually rose. Until then, he'd doze off a little longer.

* * *

When Honey Lemon woke, she noticed GoGo wasn't in her bed. After putting on her glasses to confirm this, she found the mechanic sitting on the floor on the other side of room. "GoGo?" She leaned down in her pajamas, looking at her friend in a worried fashion. "Is everything okay? Should I get Baymax?"

GoGo groaned as she placed one hand to her head. The painkillers from earlier had worn off. "No," she replied. "I'll be fine. It's just a headache."

Honey couldn't help but look at her friend with worry. "Are you sure? You don't look so good." It was the truth. Her friend looked a little pale, with circles showing under her eyes. "What are you doing on the floor anyway?"

With a bit of an effort, GoGo got to her feet. "Couldn't sleep," she answered. "Got too much on my mind." Maybe she'd gotten a bit of whiplash on top of everything else.

Realizing her friend didn't want any help, Honey stood back to give GoGo more room. "Why don't you tell me? Maybe I can help."

GoGo moved to put her jacket back on. She'd refrained from changing back into her bedclothes simply because of the hour. "Doubt it," she hissed as she caught her jacket on her bandage. How could she tell her friend she felt like it was somehow her fault they couldn't find Hiro? Not to mention what she'd done with Fred. That was something she definitely wasn't ready to tell anyone.

Honey watched her with pursed lips as she got dressed. She knew her friend wasn't one to fuss over things, but even she had limits. She would have to bring this up with Baymax as soon as she saw him, she decided. Taking a cue from GoGo, she got dressed as well. "Ready to go find some breakfast?" she inquired, her expression hopeful.

GoGo rolled her neck, trying to loosen up her shoulders. From her shoulders up felt stiff and sore, though not as bad as the glass burn on her face. The pain made her further suspect the presence of whiplash, even if the healthcare bot hadn't mentioned it. Thinking about that made her wonder about the others. "Have you heard anything from Wasabi?"

The blonde chemist paused, one hand on the door knob. "Um…" she bit her lip. Would it be bad of her to admit she hadn't thought about him until GoGo had brought it up? She shook her head. "I haven't," she admitted. "Last thing I heard, he was still out. Maybe we should go check in on him."

With a sigh of relief, GoGo strode towards the door that Honey had just opened. She'd successfully diverted her attention, which was a decidedly good thing. "Maybe we should," she agreed. "I know he can sleep but it's not like him to skip a meal."

* * *

Without anyone to disturb him, Wasabi had slept like the dead. After being checked out by Baymax the evening before, he'd slipped into a blissfully deep sleep. In fact he'd totally missed the whole fiasco of Hiro disappearing. Despite that, near the end of his sleep, some of the dreams he had were a bit disturbing, like he was missing something important.

Groaning, Wasabi opened his eyes. He tried to move but found his muscles were not only stiff and unresponsive, but that they hurt like he'd gone completely overboard on a workout. "Ow…" he hissed as he fell back against his pillow. What kind of hero was he if he couldn't even get out of bed?

He somehow managed to turn his head towards Hiro's bed, hoping the toddler was there, or maybe Baymax. The effort was neigh unto excruciating though and he almost gave up. But he didn't. Unfortunately, he was disappointed when he realized the other bed was unoccupied. Part of him couldn't help but wonder at that. Surely he hadn't slept longer than his friend had.

A knock sounded at the door and Wasabi tried to look towards the far wall. Again, his body betrayed him, not allowing him more than a few centimeters' range of motion. At least he knew he was modestly covered. "Come in," he called out, his voice tinted with the pain he felt.

The door opened and both GoGo and Honey Lemon entered the room. Honey flipped on the light while GoGo strode over to Hiro's empty bed and sat down. "You awake?"

"No," Wasabi said as he tried to sit up again. "I'm just staring at the ceiling because I'm sleeping." It had been some time since he'd felt this stiff. Part of him wondered how long it would last and how it would affect his ability to fight off potential villains.

GoGo shook her head, one leg over the other as she leaned forward. "Can't move, can you." She blew a bubble from her ever present gum.

Honey walked over. "Do you need some help?" she offered the burly man.

After a moment of hesitation, Wasabi accepted the offer. He groaned as the tall girl helped him to a more upright position. "That's the last time I do that," he said as he moved one hand to rub at the back of his neck. "Man, I could use a massage."

"Maybe we should have Baymax take a look first," Honey worried. "At both of you." She glanced over at GoGo, making sure the shorter woman remembered their earlier conversation.

GoGo rolled her eyes. "I already told you I'm good," she protested. "It's just a lingering headache and lack of sleep."

While the two argued about seeing Baymax, Wasabi slid towards the edge of his bed. "Um, guys, if you don't mind, I'd like some privacy so I can get dressed."

Realizing they were keeping Wasabi from changing, Honey moved towards the door. "Oh! Sorry, Wasabi! We'll wait outside."

Halfway to a standing position, Wasabi couldn't help but notice Hiro's mostly empty bed, the blankets still piled neatly at one end where he'd left them the day before. "Uh, one question before you go. Where's Hiro?" He didn't like the way the two women exchanged nervous glances.


	30. Absolutely Fascinating

James couldn't help but mutter to himself as he kicked at some of the trash in the back alley. He'd been trying to figure out what to write to the Whitmores next but his brain was coming up empty. Maybe he needed coffee or something. Or more drugs, but that cost money. Anything was possible. Except writing another note, apparently.

Why did there always have to be little setbacks? It just wasn't right. Here he was, trying to make a semi decent dollar, and things were just not going well. He wasn't even sure how much he should ask for the little whelp. At least a couple thousand, he mused. Maybe a hundred? Two hundred? Why not go for five hundred thousand? That was a much nicer sounding number than just a grand.

But it would be more prudent to do some kind of test on the doting parents, right? He'd send them another note asking for a goodwill token towards paying the full amount, which would reward them with a video, or maybe just a picture of the young tyke, so they'd know he was okay. Yes, that's what he'd do.

James grabbed up a clean piece of paper, his fingers covered with latex so he didn't leave fingerprints. Even if the Whitmores hadn't gone to the police, something he somehow doubted as he'd listened to the police scanner, he didn't want to leave any evidence behind they could use to track him down. He was even being careful to write out each letter in a manner atypical of his usual brash handwriting. The low buzz had cleared enough that he was thinking straight for once.

Licking his lips, James held up the paper and looked at what he'd written. The cheap pen had bled a little on the paper but that was okay. Cheap ink meant it would be harder to track. Anyone could get an identical pen at any of the hundreds of discount stores in the area. He nodded in satisfaction. That would do. Now to deliver it to the waiting family.

* * *

Data stared at the drawings he'd found. They were back from his short spout of time spent with Hiro only a day or so prior. After searching for their whereabouts for a good part of the night, he now contemplated them.

It had started out as sort of a game, creating pictures of places they'd been. Data's own drawings were decidedly easier to understand than the scrawling of the much younger hero. But there was something decidedly fascinating about them. Especially when he recalled some of the comments made by others in their party.

_"What's this suppose to be?"_ Counselor Troi had asked the boy, pointing to the drawing Data now held. It depicted an interesting conglomeration of colors, mostly blues, purples, and pinks.

_"Cwouds,"_ Hiro had answered _. "Pohtaw cwouds."_

It had been a bit difficult to understand what the young boy was saying at the time, but upon retrospection, it became easier. What was it the blue-clad Doctor had said? Oh yeah.

_"We do know some very fundamental things. Even if this energy isn't the power of Q running rampant, it is somehow still connected. Didn't we tell you earlier? Your two realities have collided, and in ways they were never meant to. It's not like when Rose went over to an alternate dimension through a portal. The two dimensions seem like they're actually trying to switch places. That, I think, is why all the chaos is happening."_

What if Hiro had been trying to say portal instead of pohtaw. Young children did tend to have trouble saying the letter L and R. From previous conversations, Data could also extrapolate the possibility that Hiro had gone through a portal of some kind into something he'd heard called the Rift. What if Hiro's 'pohtaw cwouds" were clouds from inside the portal, or, more specifically, the Rift in question?

Then Data recalled what the other man called Doctor had said. _"I still think the Ley Lines are somehow connected. Do you think it's possible the energy from the Rift is being drawn out into this dimension, trying to purge the alien threat? We all know Ley Lines are conduits of energy. Why wouldn't they attract whatever's trying to balance things out?"_

There was, however, a problem with that theory. Data had gone over the data he'd found on the computer a few days back. Whoever had been looking up the various incidents had left a trail a mile wide. He'd been able to calculate where the majority of them took place, and they didn't necessarily correspond with the supposed Ley Lines. At least not in any order that made sense, though he thought he might be missing a lot more information than he currently had.

Thinking about it further, Data recalled another conversation involving the Rift and Hiro.

_"Hiro's actually been inside the Rift on multiple occasions,"_ one Doctor had said _. "In fact, probably more times than he can remember."_

_"It's no wonder he's acting like a giant magnet for this energy!"_ the one with the bow tie had added. _"He's like a giant dowsing rod for energy!"_

Then Fred had joined the conversation. _"Now wait just a minute. What do you mean when you say Hiro's been in the Rift more times than he can remember? I can count them off on one hand."_ The kaiju-wearing hero had held up two fingers _. "See? The first time was when he went in after Abigail. And the other was when he took that alien thing home after you showed up the first time."_

But it was Honey's comment that added to a theory growing in Data's thought processes. _"Fred's right. Unless you're telling us there are more times that not even_ we _know about."_

The two Doctors _had_ exchanged rather guilty looks. _"Well, we're not really at liberty to say,"_ the one with the bow tie had said.

_"Because, strictly speaking,"_ the other continued, _"they didn't exactly happen."_

Data wasn't sure what they'd meant by that last comment, something that had troubled him since hearing it. Of course, it had gone to the back burner when other things had come up that were more pressing. But it still puzzled him exceedingly and he planned on getting down to the bottom of it.

Taking the drawings in hand, Data headed towards the breakfast nook. He figured that was the best place to find the majority of their group. According to his internal clock, it should be about breakfast time and most of those involved tended towards meeting there at that time.

* * *

Hiro felt like he was drowning. It was somehow hard to breathe. Hadn't he had a dream like this recently? Part of him wanted to say yes, but another part said no. Was he facing down in the water of the ocean? Or was it sand? And why did he feel pressure against his chest? What was going on? Whatever it was, it hurt.

Or was he twisted up in some kind of constraining bands that threatened to squeeze the air out of his lungs? Either way, he was having a hard time making his lungs work properly. The lack of oxygen made spots shimmer before his closed eyelids as he struggled against whatever was holding him down.

_"It's okay. I've got you."_

Why did those words sound so familiar, bringing up images of Tadashi cradling him in his arms? He panted, trying to understand. Everything was dark. Why was it so dark? And why did his whole body hurt like he'd been pummeled? Had he been pummeled? He couldn't remember.

Hiro shoved at his surroundings, feeling as though tape should be pulling at his arms. He thought he heard the faint beeping of a heart monitor in the background but couldn't be sure. Whatever enclosed him was soft like fabric. But the air was stale, leaving him feeling weak.

With a few more turns, Hiro found himself dumped onto cold cement. He shivered, his back feeling warmer than his front. When he opened his eyes, he realized he was facing towards that metal door from earlier, his backside still up against the nest of blankets he'd somehow got tangled in.

He curled up in fetal position, knees to his chest as he tried to control his breathing, the oversized t-shirt barely covering him. Why did he have strange images in his head of staring at the ocean while Tadashi sat by his side? He thought he heard the echo of an ambulance but couldn't be sure. He coughed and it hurt like he'd burped up fire. Why did it feel like he'd breathed in salt water?

His small frame shook as his body was covered with gooseflesh. What was wrong with him? Was he losing it? Had he somehow been drugged? Was this all just a hallucination? He had no way of knowing and that scared him more than anything else could.

And then pain ripped through him, the same kind of pain he'd felt back when they'd first learned about the alien entity. He rolled onto his back, his spine arching upwards as he bit his tongue. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth as his body betrayed him, every muscle tensing up.

Hiro closed his eyes and saw the cotton candy clouds from the Rift. And, just as he'd dreamed before, he saw dark tendrils of energy running rampant among the cottony colors. There was a slight change, though, in what he saw. Instead of just the usual debris of Krei Tech's demolished building, or random space junk, he saw images projected against the sharply contrasting colors. Some were clearer than others. And each one seemed to cause his body to react in unexpected and painful ways.

There he was, lying on the beach; Tadashi's legs just in view, wearing a pair of Bermuda shorts with palm trees on it. He could see the ocean line slowly moving in and out on the sand. And the more he focused on that image, the more he could feel the scrapes and bruises from rolling down a cement embankment, the painful throbbing of his head from banging into the concrete over and over again. The burn of salt in his lungs.

With an effort, Hiro pulled his gaze away from the image. Where had it come from? Was it something that had really happened? Or was it something the Rift presented as a potential? Again, he wasn't sure. What he was sure about was that he felt less pain when he didn't focus on any particular image floating around like a holographic projection. And no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to wake from this nightmare.

* * *

Deanna Troi felt more than a little stiff as she got up and dressed for the day. To say her dreams had been pleasant would be a lie. For whatever reason, she'd seen images of coalescing clouds of color, struck through with threads of black. She had no idea what it meant but it disturbed her.

More or less ready to face the day, she headed towards the usual breakfast nook. The night before had left more questions than answers and she hoped they would find some of those answers soon. She just wasn't sure if anything else had happened during the night or not. Her senses were a little fuzzy in regards to telling the emotional state of the others around her. Maybe it was a residual effect from her dreams. Anything was possible.

On the way down, she ran into Captain Picard. Jean-Luc apologized for knocking into her, even though it was only a slight bump. He immediately recognized that not all was well with his counselor. "Is something wrong?" he inquired.

Troi massaged the back of her neck the best she could with her uninjured hand. What she wouldn't give for the sick bay back on the Enterprise right now, she wondered. There was definitely something to be said for their more updated technology, which could fix a broken bone much more quickly than conventional methods in this universe. "I'm fine," she fibbed. "It's just my neck and shoulders. I'm sure it will sort itself out soon enough."

Picard didn't look entirely convinced as he offered to escort her down to breakfast. He'd known her for several years now and thought he could recognize when she wasn't being entirely forthcoming. He could be wrong, of course. But he thought she was holding something back and couldn't help but wonder why.

They had almost reached the breakfast room when Heathcliff approached the pair. "Pardon me," the butler said as he carried a silver tray. "Have you seen the young master?"

Deanna and Picard exchanged glances. "No," the counselor answered. "Is something wrong?"

Heathcliff's face remained as neutral as ever, his posture perfect. "I have received another communication for the young master," he answered.

Picard couldn't help but look up sharply. He'd been about to open the door to the breakfast room but turned back towards the butler. "Is it from the same person as last night?" he asked quickly.

The butler blinked before answering. "I do not know," he admitted. He then turned on his heels and walked the other way.

Deanna couldn't help but stare after the man. "Something is definitely not right," she commented to the air. Coming back to herself, she realized the captain was holding the door to the breakfast room for her. She gathered her thoughts as she walked into the room, ignoring Picard's questioning glance.

* * *

Both Doctors stood over Honey Lemon's chemistry table. The usual equipment had been moved aside to make room for the map Baymax had given the blue clad Doctor earlier that morning. They poured over it, both wearing glasses as they read the finely printed slips of paper Hiro had attached to the surface.

"Absolutely fascinating," the bow-tied Doctor declared. "One can't help but wonder how he did all this after everything that's already happened."

The blue-clad Doctor leaned in closer to check a notation. "Hiro is nothing if not resourceful," he replied, his attention focused mainly on the map. "But this just goes to prove what we'd already begun to suspect."

"Seems like he might have put two and two together a lot more quickly than we did," the other replied as he looked up.

The other Doctor looked up at the same time. And almost as one, they both said, "Nah."

From the far corner of the room, Fred let a rather loud snore, the first real sound he'd uttered since falling asleep. Whatever had caused him to make that noise also seemed to wake him as he started in his recliner. "Huh? What happened? Did I miss something?"

Before either Doctor could answer, however, Heathcliff entered the room with his silver tray. "This came for you, sir," he said as he held out the tray towards his master.

Fred sort of wormed his way out of the recliner before accepting the plain envelop. It looked much like the one from the night before. "Oh man, I got a bad feeling about this," he said as he turned the envelope over and broke the seal. Almost hesitantly, he pulled out the white sheet inside. He swallowed hard as he sat back down, almost missing the cushioned seat, his expression showing growing dismay. "Definitely not good."

From his charger, Baymax looked over. "Your heartbeat has increased dramatically," he observed. "You appear to be distressed. What seems to be the trouble?"

Fred held up the paper, his face going rather white. "It's the kidnappers," he said in an almost dead tone. "They want a total of half a million dollars, ten thousand of which must be delivered by three this afternoon or something bad will happen to Hiro."

"Let me see that," the blue-clad Doctor said as he strode over and took the paper. He took several steps back, coming even with his counterpart who had also moved forward. The two of them mused over the letter. "You are to deliver the first ten thousand of this ransom by three p.m. today or suffer the consequences. If you comply, however, I will give you proof of life."

Baymax moved towards Fred, coming up behind him. He placed one hand on the mascot's shoulder. "It will be alright," he assured. "However, I do recommend informing the others of this new development."

Fred swallowed, his expression still troubled as he went over the message again in his mind. "Yeah," he said. His mouth felt dry and he wondered how on earth to tell the others.

* * *

Q couldn't help but stare up at the ceiling of his assigned room. Worf was still snoring away like a gnarglac, something Q had always detested. He glanced over at the sleeping Klingon with a bit of a scowl. He'd been told that, under no circumstances whatsoever, was he allowed to leave the room without his jailer.

The man sighed dramatically as he rolled his eyes. Like he was going to listen to that bit of direction. He was Q, after all. A god in his own right. How dare these paltry humans tell him what to do? But, on the other hand, some of them did make a very good point. Not that he liked to concede the point, but the natives weren't as dumb as he'd originally thought they would be.

Then there was the whole Doctor thing. There was decidedly something fishy about those two. Even in his human state, Q could tell they weren't the typical alien entity he'd encountered. In fact, he rather thought they had a feeling to them that reminded him of himself, as unlikely as that was. Just who were these men? Where did they come from? And why did they have the smell of space travel that only a god would have?

Of course, he had more pressing issues to think about, like getting his powers back. He somehow suspected it all came down to Hiro. After all, a lot had happened to the young whelp. And was probably continuing to happen, if he was any judge. But what troubled him the most was the fact that a normal human had somehow managed to harness his powers. Whether this was a temporary thing or not, it still centered upon Hiro, which brought him back almost to square one. What was so important about that ape?

Okay, maybe calling him an ape wasn't accurate, or nice. Hiro had something more to him than most humans did. There was a brilliance there that seemed to shine brighter than all the others. That and he had a sense of power, control, and a bit of self-centeredness that Q found fascinating. Or maybe self-centered wasn't the right word. Assured? That or he did a really good job of hiding his insecurities from others, a trait that was also admirable. He wouldn't mind knowing the boy under different circumstances.

That, sadly, wasn't going to get him his powers back any sooner than what was already in the cards, in a manner of speaking. Both of the Doctors seem to know more about this than anyone else did. That and they had their rather strange box, which he thought was more likely a vessel of some sort. Maybe it was their version of the Continuum in a conceivably visible form. That was always a possibility. The question, then, was what did those two know and why weren't they sharing?

Worf let out a particularly loud snort in his sleep, causing Q to glance back over. Just how long was the Klingon going to sleep anyway? It was so annoying. On the one hand, he knew he should play nice with the others, but, on the other hand, it went totally against his usual character. He should be out there, looking for answers, instead of being imprisoned in a house full of morons. The only really gifted individual was out there. Somewhere.

An idea began to form in his mind. He doubted he'd get the answers he wanted from the others, especially not the Doctors. But, if he could somehow get inside their TARDIS, maybe he could get something more. Of course, that meant he'd have to go against Picard's orders. He snorted at the idea. Like he'd ever listened to the man before. And sneaking out the first time hadn't been all that hard. Of course, it was later on in the morning than the previous time. It might not be as easy.

Last time, he'd almost been caught by that butler. What was his name again? Heathcliff, wasn't it? Annoying that he could remember it so clearly. That was another human who wasn't quite ordinary, or maybe it was more like normal. He wasn't nosy like so many of the others were, but he knew more about what was going on that he let out. Definitely an interesting man if Q was any judge of character.

Back to the matter at hand, he scolded himself. It was time to go against orders once more and see what he could find on his own. Careful to make as little sound as possible, he rolled off the bed to a standing position. He was already dressed so he needn't worry about that. The biggest test was whether or not any of the others were nearby. Data was likely in the library again. He'd left in the wee hours of the morning. It was the others he worried about.

Deciding there was nothing else to do but go out and see, Q turned the doorknob and slipped out of the room.


	31. I'm Right Here

James returned to the warehouse with a bag of breakfast burritos and a bottle of water. He was tempted to just eat them himself but knew he needed to keep the little tyke fed or something bad would happen. He didn't want to be cruel, just keep him long enough to score his payday.

The burritos had been a gift, sort of. He'd grabbed the bag from an unsuspecting teen and run off with them. Such snatch and grabs were easy. He'd found the bottle of water in one of those drink vending machines. Apparently someone had forgotten it, or the machine had dropped two when no one was looking. He made sure the seal was still intact before taking it.

With his note safely delivered, thanks to a random kid he'd met on the street, he could safely return to base. It had been a couple of hours and the toddler was likely hungry. That and he probably needed a potty break. James had thought about shoplifting a small package of diapers from one of the dollar stores but hadn't. He didn't know what size the kid wore, nor did he want to have to deal with them. He just hoped the kid hadn't had another accident while he was gone.

Gaining access to the main part of the warehouse, James couldn't help but feel a tingle of energy run up and down his neck. It almost made him feel like an icy finger had run down his spine. He shivered slightly. Where had that come from? Had a window somehow been opened, or was one of those massive turbines still working enough to send cool drafts of air into the building? He shrugged it off, continuing on to the set of stairs at the far end of the building. He'd placed his hostage on the next floor, where the offices might have once sat.

Heart thudding a bit more than usual, he made his way up the stairs and down the hallway. At the end was a sort of storage room where he'd stashed the kid. It was the only secure room in the building. He had to put down the back of burritos and water bottle to push aside the utility cart he used to keep the door closed. The lock had proved too much of a hassle, the mechanism rusted, making it hard to turn the key. He had to put his shoulder to it to get the solid metal to move, the rails screeching against the concrete as he did so.

A bit winded from the exertion, James had to take a moment to recover his breath. For whatever reason, it had been harder to push the thing aside than all the previous times. "It's fine," he told himself. "You're just a little out of shape. Shouldn't have snitched those donuts."

With more effort, he pulled the metal door open. "Hey, little boy," he called out. "I've got some food. You hungry?"

When he got no response, he looked towards the nest of blankets and saw the child lying not on or in them, but next to them. He was facing upwards, his arms spread out from his body, legs slightly bent in front of him. And his chest seemed to be heaving.

Cautiously, James moved into the room. Had something happened to the kid? Or was he just having a bad dream? Anything was possible. He walked over to the boy and nudged him with the toe of his shoe. When the child didn't respond, James bent down to look closer.

Hiro's skin was covered with droplets of sweat. His breathing came out in shallow huffs, despite the fact that his chest rose and fell as if with great effort. James placed a hand on the boy's forehead, only to pull back. It was cold.

"Not good," James muttered as he reached for the nearest blanket. "Can't let you get sick." He rolled the boy into the blanket, hoping that would help warm him up, though he wasn't sure if it would be enough. Why had things gotten so complicated all the sudden? This wasn't supposed to happen. Was it colder in the room than it had been earlier? He wasn't sure. Then he remembered the cold chill he'd felt earlier. Maybe it was colder than before.

"Come on, kid," he urged as he grabbed for another blanket. "Warm up already." He noticed the boy's lips were tinged a slight blue. It could be because of the chill or some other reason he didn't want to contemplate. "You gotta warm up for your parents, okay?" He hoped to all deities he could think of that this kid wouldn't die on him. That was the last thing he needed.

Setting the boy back down, he made a decision. "I'm going to go find a heater or something," he announced, even though he knew the child couldn't hear him. "Don't go anywhere."

He made sure the tot was well-covered before going back into the hallway. He made doubly sure the door was securely closed before heading out to find a portable heater. For whatever reason, his newfound abilities still seemed on the fritz and he didn't like that one bit.

* * *

Fred strode rather solemnly into the breakfast room, the letter clutched tightly in one hand. His head hung down as he shuffled towards the nearest vacant chair, where he parked it, letting his arms hang listlessly from his body. He was followed by both Doctors and Baymax.

Only a minute later, Wasabi, GoGo, and Honey Lemon entered the room. "I can't believe you didn't tell me sooner!" Wasabi complained as they walked past the dejected mascot. "You should have woken me up! We could have done something!'

GoGo resisted the urge to tilt her head back and roll her eyes. For one thing, it would hurt, and for another, they'd been over this already. "We did!" she argued back. "I went out on Baymax and we scanned the entire city! We did everything we could!"

Wasabi turned to shake a finger in her face, moving a bit easier now that he was up and about, though it still hurt. "You should have done more!" He was about to add to that when he noticed Fred's dejected state. "And what's wrong with you? I figured we'd find you chowing down on something."

GoGo turned to glance at Fred, immediately recognizing his stance. He was in a much worse state than the night before, if she thought about it. "Did something happen?" she inquired more sharply than she'd intended.

Instead of directly answering her, Fred held out the ransom note, which GoGo took. She scanned the page while everyone waited to see what was going on. "What?!" She looked sharply at the two Doctors, who were lounging near her friend. "Have you seen this?!"

Picard decided he'd waited long enough to speak up. "Would someone please tell me exactly what is going on?"

GoGo marched over to the captain and thrust the paper into his hands. "This! This is what's going on! They're demanding a ransom for Hiro! And if we don't hand over part of it this afternoon, they might kill him!"

Honey stared with wide eyes. "Are you sure that's what it says? You didn't misread it?"

But GoGo was too irate to answer so Picard did for her. "It says they want half a million dollars, ten thousand of which is to be delivered to South Side Park by three this afternoon or something bad might happen. After they've received the money, they will provide proof of life."

Deanna looked up at that. Was this related to her dreams from the night before? "It doesn't exactly say they'll kill him," she tried to reason, though she understood how GoGo might have gotten that impression. "We have far too little information to go on to determine that. The important question is can that sum of money be prepared in time for the proposed deadline?" She looked towards Fred.

With an effort, Fred straightened in his chair. "Yeah, I can get it. But that doesn't change the fact that we're no closer to finding Hiro than we were before."

"This is NOT your fault," GoGo admonished as she rounded on him once more. She figured she knew where his thoughts were headed. They were likely a continuation from the night before, blaming himself for what had happened. "You did nothing wrong."

Data chose that moment to enter the room. He looked around, taking in the tense atmosphere. "Have I interrupted something?" he asked. Then he noticed the two Doctors leaning against the wall. "Ah, I was looking for you two. I have several questions I need you to answer."

"Dude!" Wasabi protested. "Learn to read the atmosphere of the room, would you?" He winced as his muscles pinged a bit.

Baymax observed everyone in the vicinity. Yesterday's events were decidedly taking a toll on the group. Wasabi's muscles were definitely strained. Deanna had some unusual brain activity going on, which he wasn't sure how to diagnose as he had nothing to compare it with. But he knew her whiplash had finally started to affect her. GoGo still appeared to be experiencing difficulties from her injuries as well. And as for Fred, well, his emotional stability was rapidly going downhill while everyone else exhibited strong symptoms of distress. "I suggest everyone try to calm down," he said.

"Calm down?! Are you kidding me?! Hiro's out there somewhere, with some crazy guy demanding a ransom, with the potential intent of killing him if we don't comply! And we're no closer to figuring out what the heck is going on with everything else and you want us to calm down?!" Wasabi's chest heaved with his little tirade, and as painful as it felt to make those muscles work, he was too fired up to care.

Data seemed to consider the state of those around him with a sense of understanding. "Ah. I see. I will come back later." He turned to leave the room.

But Picard held out a hand. "Mr. Data, wait. Don't mind Wasabi. He's merely expressing the frustration we all feel at our current state of affairs. By all means, if it is pertinent to what is happening, please ask your questions."

The android turned back to the room in general. "You will let you be the judge, Captain," he responded. "While everyone was sleeping last night, I had the opportunity to contemplate a great many things. Before Hiro's disappearance, I was able to spend some time with him. We drew different depictions of locations we have visited."

From one of the pockets of his pants, Data pulled out a folded batch of drawings. "These are the sketches Hiro completed," he said as he moved to the table and smoothed out the papers. "When I first asked what they entailed, he said 'powtaw cwouds', something I have since deciphered to mean portal clouds."

Baymax shuffled towards the table. "Hiro was correct in indicating those to be portal clouds," he confirmed. "That is what the inside of the portal looks like. We have been there on multiple occasions."

"Wait a minute," Deanna called out as she took a real look at the drawing. "I remember seeing these earlier. In fact, I dreamed about something similar only last night."

From the back of the room, the two Doctors exchanged glances. They knew what species Deanna descended from thanks to discussions with the others, including what kind abilities she possessed. "Maybe she's seeing what Hiro is," the one whispered to the other, causing the other to nod in agreement. "Definitely a possibility."

Fred slid to the edge of his chair. "Uh, guys, is it just me or does this strike anyone else as a sort of déjà vu moment?" He wrapped his arms around his chest as if to hold back a chill.

"Speaking of déjà vu," the blue-clad Doctor said as he pushed away from the wall, "there is one member of this group here who could tell a tale or two that might interest you. I hope I'm not mistaken in guessing that Mr. Data here is wondering about that little tidbit my companion and I let slip the other night. About Hiro and the Rift?"

Data looked towards the Doctor in surprise. "That is correct. How did you know?"

The other Doctor joined his companion. "It sounded like you were headed in that direction," he confessed. "It was only a matter of time before someone asked."

Wasabi found a chair and sat down. "Okay, this is starting to get more than a little weird. Just what are you talking about?"

Honey bit her lip. She couldn't help but remember some of their previous conversations. "What about Hiro and the Rift?" she asked. "You've hinted at it a few times. Wasn't there something about Hiro having been inside it more than just the two times we know about?"

"Wait a second," GoGo interrupted. "If Hiro has been in there more than the two times, how do you two know about it?" She glared at the two Doctors. She folded her arms as she blew and then popped a gum bubble.

The two in question exchanged glances once more. The bow-tied Doctor rocked back on his heels, fingers holding his suspenders while the other stuffed his hands in his pockets and rocked forwards. "Well, you see, that would be because we were there," the second one answered.

Data tilted his head, eyes blinking rapidly as he tried to compute what he'd just heard. "I do not understand," he confessed. "Did you not allude to the fact that these instances might not have actually happened?"

The bow-tied Doctor hedged a bit with his shoulders. "Well, we did and we didn't. You see, those incidents didn't exactly happen in _this_ timeline. It was sort of a paradox, if you really think about it, or an alternate dimension, though not like the one where you come from."

Baymax blinked as he listened to the two Time Lords dither about. "Perhaps I may be of some assistance," he suggested. "I believe you are referring to the multiple chances Hiro was given to change his past. Am I correct?"

All eyes turned to the robot at his question. Wasabi was the first to break the silence. "Say what now? When did this happen?"

"You remember that?" the blue-clad Doctor exclaimed as he stared at Baymax. "Didn't consider that happening." He looked sheepishly at his other incarnation. "Do you really think it's possible?"

The robot seemed to nod. "Of course. I am programmed to record all interactions with my patients. However, there may have been several interactions that I was not a part of prior to my joining him. The alien entity sent me to help Hiro come to terms with an important decision. It would seem that they believed he would listen to me more readily than any other individual."

GoGo looked skeptical as she stared at the robot. "An important decision?"

"Yes," Baymax responded. "If you recall, two months ago, we encountered the bomber in the hospital. I believe that to be the triggering incident."

Honey, among others, looked confused. "Um… Baymax, I'm not sure any of us know what you're talking about. How could that mad bomber be a triggering incident? I know Hiro could have died there, but I wouldn't consider that something enough to trigger a paradox."

"Allow me to explain," the bow-tied Doctor said as he moved to the center of the room. "There's something none of you likely know, and I'm only guessing at it now. When Hiro was originally in contact with the Makt, what you call the alien entity, he was given a sort of "get out of jail free" card. In the original version of the bomber in the hospital incident, Hiro actually died."

Wasabi almost spit out the juice he'd started sipping on. "Say what now?!"

Knowing his announcement would give many cause for consternation, the Doctor telling the tale chose to let them come to terms with the idea before offering to continue. He was stilling working on some theories that he wasn't sure if he wasn't quite sure if he was ready to share just yet. They both were.

* * *

Hiro felt a change in the atmosphere around him. He was still inside the portal but he didn't feel quite like he was alone anymore. But no matter where he looked, he couldn't see anything more than the semi-transparent projections of different pseudo memories. Or at least he figured they were pseudo memories. They might be possibilities or something else. He wasn't sure. And, without examining them more closely, he doubted he would. But he wasn't sure he was ready to do that again just yet.

"Hello?" he called out, only to hear nothing in return. He felt his body turn over a time or two, though it didn't seem like he actually moved. Then he realized that while in the portal, he was in his normal form of almost sixteen years' of age.

_"Hang in there,_ " he thought he heard someone say, though he couldn't be sure. " _I've got you."_

Then pain exploded up through his chest, reminding him of breaking his ribs all over again. Stars filled his vision.

" _Come on, Hiro. Breathe!"_

Was he not breathing? Hiro took in a deep breath and felt his lungs constrict. Or, rather, his throat. He couldn't breathe. Something had thickened his windpipe to the point that barely anything slipped down it.

" _Don't do this to me!"_

For whatever reason, he felt like he was lying on a stiff mattress. The sensation of various instruments touching his skin filled his senses. Was someone inserting a needled under his skin? Was that a tube trying to force its way down his throat, past the constricted airways? Was someone placing solid paddles against his chest and sending jolt after jolt of electricity through his body? He couldn't tell. His eyes wouldn't open. But it felt like it.

In the distance, a heart monitor wailed a long, one-toned note, and then it was silent. Footsteps sounded all around him, echoing as if from a long tunnel. And then he was floating free from his body as he followed a female doctor down a corridor and into a waiting room. He could see Aunt Cass and Tadashi anxiously pacing the floor.

The doctor went up to his aunt and said something to her, though he couldn't hear what it was. Whatever she'd told his aunt made her cry.

Then Tadashi moved forward, his face a mask of shock and disbelief. He asked the doctor something and the woman replied in what could only be considered a sympathetic manner. Hiro watched as the life seemed to drain out of his brother's eyes, his skin going pale as he dropped to the floor in denial.

_"I'm right here!"_ Hiro wanted to say but he couldn't get his mouth to move. In fact, he couldn't get any part of him to move as he stared in horror at his grieving brother.

The next moment, he was swept away as if caught up in a strong tide. " _Tadashi! NO! I'm here! I'm right here! Tadashi!"_


	32. Working On A Strategy

Q couldn't believe his luck. There must have been something going on in another part of the manor that allowed him to slip out of the place undetected. Not that there weren't a few close calls, because there were. He'd almost run into the butler but managed to avoid that debacle at the last moment.

Deciding to try his luck with the nearest of the two blue boxes, he headed for the garage area. The oversized wooden crate sat there as if it didn't have a care in the world. Q knew better. He might not have his powers, at present, but he could feel a sense of sentience coming from the thing. But, when he tried to open the door, all he got was a few splinters for his trouble.

* * *

The sound of a clock ticking filled the silence left by the Doctor's announcement. Even after Wasabi's outburst, there had been silence. The clock struck the hour, ten loud gongs echoing down the hallways.

"What he means to say," the blue-clad Doctor spoke up, "is that's what we think. But it does make sense, if you really think about it. There had to be some instigating force. I somehow doubt Hiro would have requested a do-over unless he had no other choice."

Picard rolled his eyes. "A do-over? The only person I know who would ever give the possibility of such a thing is Q, and he's currently without his powers."

Data looked thoughtful as he observed the two Doctors, both of which still stood in the center of the open area of the room. "Not necessarily," he corrected. "It is entirely possible there are entities inside this universe that share similarities with Q. The idea is theoretically sound."

Deanna crossed her legs, ignoring the tantalizing scent of the food Heathcliff had prepared for them. "But Data, that essentially sounds like you're comparing this alien entity, the Makt, to the Q Continuum."

Before Data could open his mouth once more, the bow-tied Doctor took up the narrative. "While that's entirely possible, from what you've told us about that individual, we gathered he was more like us." He pointed toward himself and his companion. "There are, of course, a few minor differences."

Picard stood to refill his tea cup. "While, of course, you make an interesting argument, I fail to see how that's possible," he inserted. "Q is an all-powerful being who can manipulate time, space, and matter at will."

"Data's not the only one who thought Q sounded like the Doctor," Fred interrupted. "Am I right, guys? I mean, we were all thinking it when we first met him. Of course, as you said, there are some differences. But I think there are a few things about these two that you guys don't know yet. Go ahead and tell them," he urged.

The two Doctors exchanged glances with each other, then understanding dawned on them both. "Oh, right," the blue-clad Doctor said. "We never did tell them that did we?"

"You know, I think you're right," his companion agreed. "We didn't. Now's just as a good a time as any. After you." He gestured for the other to go first.

With a bit of a bow to acknowledge the motion, the blue-clad Doctor cleared his throat. "Right. Hiro's group already knows this, though I don't think they entirely understand all of it yet, but my companion and I are what you'd call Time Lords."

"Which means," the other continued, "we are from a species charged with the protection of all time and space."

"Simply put, we're the Guardians of Time," the other finished for him. "Well, with the exception that he and I are the same person. And there used to be a whole planet of us, but that's another story for another time."

GoGo moved to the table to pick up a muffin. While all this talk was fascinating, she was decidedly hungry and wasn't going to let anything get in the way of eating. Not now that her headache was finally subsiding. "I sort of figured you guys, when combined with the Makt, and the TARDIS, would probably be like this Q guy."

Data nodded as he mulled that over. "It does make a certain amount of sense, though I'm not sure how the TARDIS has anything to do with this."

"The TARDIS," the bow-tied Doctor mused. "Ah yes, that sexy thing. She's as much a living entity as anyone is. You see, inside the Heart of the TARDIS dwells a sort of consciousness, albeit with a slightly different take on what we consider morality."

His companion rolled his eyes. "Let's not get into that, shall we? It might only confuse them more. Let it be enough that we're charged with the protection of time and space here and call it good. After all, we didn't start this discussion with the intent on giving a lecture on what we may or may not be."

Honey nodded, realizing they had indeed gone off topic. "So, what does this all mean about Hiro? You mentioned potential multiple encounters with the Rift."

"That we did," the younger Doctor agreed. He took the opportunity to pour himself a cup of tea from the same pot Picard had used, before sitting down in a comfy chair. "You see, as far as we can gather, Hiro was somehow given the chance to change something in his past. A death, for example."

Honey couldn't help but put her hand to her mouth as she let out a gasp of shock. "Tadashi," she breathed.

The newly incarnated Doctor nodded. "Exactly what we were thinking. And believe you me, we had a time of it going back time and time again to try and keep him from saving his brother."

Wasabi chose that moment to call their attention away from the current line of thought. "Now wait a minute," he protested. "Why would bringing Tadashi back be such a bad thing?"

Deanna closed her eyes against the onslaught of emotions washing up against her senses. It was overwhelming. She put her uninjured hand to her head as if to repress the headache forming there.

"Counselor," Picard hazarded as he turned towards her, "are you alright?"

The Betazoid slowly shook her head. "There are far too many emotions running rampant at the moment," she explained. "And I can't be sure that all of them are coming from inside this room."

Honey moved to stand by the woman's side, as if that alone would offer up the support she needed. "Could you be sensing Hiro?"

But the counselor shook her head. "I don't know." She winced. "I feel pain, a great deal of pain. And confusion."

GoGo put down her food as she watched Trio. "I hope that's not Hiro you're sensing," she commented. "Because if it is, someone's going to pay."

* * *

Worf woke with a start. Growling a bit to himself, he rolled to a sitting position, his hair showing a decided need for a good brushing. He stretched, yawning hugely, then looked towards the clock. Surprised at the time, he immediately stood up and looked towards Q's bed, realizing it was empty.

"Not again," the Klingon grumbled. Then the idea that Q might have just gone to use the restroom or to join the others came to mind. He hoped that was the case. It wouldn't do to be completely unreasonable, after all.

Worf hurried got dressed and tried to smooth back his head. He probably should inquire about soap for a shower. He'd noticed the bathroom had a stall for such a purpose. But that could wait until later. He had a missing person to find before the man got them into even more trouble.

* * *

James had come across some trouble while looking for a portable heater. Most stores didn't seem to have them in stock, not that he'd intended on actually buying one. In the end, he'd had to go to a junk dealer and barter for one, something that took a lot longer than he'd anticipated.

Now well after noon, the kidnapper raced back to the warehouse, hoping he'd wrapped the kid up enough to at least keep some of the heat in. The heater he'd gotten was a bit bigger than the more modern ones, and a lot heavier, so he had a time of hauling it up the stairs and to the kid's room.

Wiping sweat from his brow, James set the ancient thing down so he could open the door. He didn't even know why he'd closed it. It wasn't like the tot was going to go anywhere, though it paid to be prepared, he supposed. Anything was possible.

With the door now open, James dragged the heater into the room, only to realize he didn't have an extension cord to plug the thing in with. Nor did he see any outlets in the immediate vicinity. Disgusted with his lack of foresight, James cussed. Heaving a sigh, he glanced over at his detainee.

"Well, kid, can't say I didn't try," he sighed. With almost more effort than he cared to admit, he moved back towards Hiro's side, bending at the knees so he could press his hand to the boy's forehead. "Still too cold," he observed. "Not good at all."

Hiro still breathed heavily, like he couldn't get quite enough air into his lungs. And his skin was decidedly a bit paler than it had been before. Cold sweat had broken out over his visible skin.

James debated. Maybe there was an extension cord somewhere else in the building. He knew if the boy was harmed, he probably wouldn't see a dime more than the ten grand he'd demanded as insurance. And while ten grand was a nice number, it still wasn't enough. That and he wasn't about to let a kid just die. But he couldn't take him to the hospital either. They'd know for sure he'd done something illegal, especially when they discovered he wasn't the legal guardian.

Hoping his line of thought was sound, James exited the room. He didn't bother closing the door again as he started a systematic search for some kind of extension cord he could use to plug in that old heater.

* * *

Hiro felt as though he woke with a jolt. Except there was something wrong with this. Last he'd checked, he was in the form of a toddler. And, if his current consciousness could be trusted, he was back to his normal, almost sixteen-year-old, form. And he was freezing.

Teeth chattering, he looked around. But he didn't recognize where he was. It wasn't the warehouse he'd woken up in before that strange kidnapper had stormed in. Nor was it any place he could recall ever visiting. Instead, it looked like he was in some kind of system of caves, with ice growing up the walls.

He wrapped his arms around his body, shivering violently. "What is this place?" he wondered as he started walking forward. It looks like a recent seismic activity had shaken some of the ceiling loose from above. There were boulders of varying sizes all over the place, with dust thickly covering every surface perpendicular to the walls.

Stifling a sneeze, Hiro almost tripped over a boulder. "Ow," he said out of pure gut reaction. He'd somehow managed to stub his toe, despite wearing shoes. "Hello?" he called out, only to hear a muffled echo return to him from down the corridor of stone.

"Gotta get warm," he told himself as he jumped up and down, rubbing his arms up and down his chest. "I just hope this is a figment of my imagination. I think I liked the Portal better."

The sound of muffled voices came from a side tunnel and he turned to follow the sound. After moving past more boulders, sometimes having to squeeze by them, he finally made it into a more open area. His skin stung from rubbing up against the rough stone. And, in some areas, it was bleeding. But the voices were stronger now. "Hello?"

Hiro had just reached the end of his current tunnel when a bright flash of light filled the adjoining chamber. He had to cover his eyes due to the intensity. "What in the world was that?" he asked the air, hoping that whoever owned the voices would tell him, though they seemed to either be unable to hear him or were ignoring him.

"Q!" Hiro heard someone call out. The voice, oddly enough, sounded a lot like Jean-Luc Picard's voice.. "What are you doing here?"

Peering into the cavern, Hiro saw the five inter-dimensional travelers. Picard had been sitting only a moment before, leaving Deanna Troi on her rock. Worf and Data had turned towards the fifth person there, who looked extremely displeased. "I might ask you the same thing, mon capitaine. This isn't exactly the best place to take a vacation. You shouldn't be here."

Hiro couldn't help but watch in wide-eyed fascination as Picard moved closer to Q. "Shouldn't be here!?" the captain spluttered. "You shouldn't be here! We're on a simple exploration mission if you don't mind. Your interference is decidedly not welcome"

Q raised an eyebrow at that as he walked closer to the captain. "Oh, you are, are you? And I'm quite sure my 'interference' will be quite welcome, whatever you might think of it. Looks more like _you_ could use some rescuing." He glanced pointedly at Deanna Troi. "You are rather hemmed in, what with the planet's unstable core and all that."

Deanna grimaced as she tried to shift positions. "We're fine, thank you," she retorted, trying to force her eyes to see straight. "The Enterprise will beam us up at any minute."

Hiro couldn't help but goggle at what was going on. Was this a reenactment of what had happened prior to their visitors coming down to San Fransokyo? Or had he somehow managed to actually go back in time and was witnessing it first hand? He wasn't sure.

Q's expression turned to full out disapproval. "Somehow I doubt that. Do you even have any idea where you are right now? You're right in the middle of a space anomaly. The Enterprise can no more beam you out than a snarglefish can fly. Admit it. You're stuck."

Picard scowled at that. "What anomaly? We detected nothing out of place before beaming down."

Q tsked as he sat on a nearby boulder. "But, my dear captain, of course your scanners wouldn't pick it up! Don't you see? This place doesn't really exist!"

Data looked up at that. "My scans indicate otherwise," he countered. "If their readings are correct, we are still on Davish Seven, where we should be."

Hearing the planet Davish Seven mentioned so casually, Hiro couldn't help but flash back to his first encounter with the Doctor. Hadn't that survival pouch the Doctor had given him back then come from Davish Seven? He couldn't be one hundred percent sure, but felt he'd hit the nail on the head. But if Davish Seven was part of his universe, what was it doing in theirs?

Q moved to stand near the android. "Are you sure about that? I'd check again if I were you."

The android looked back at the tricorder he had pulled out, scanning the area. His expression changed, his eyebrows furrowing with puzzlement. "What Q has said is correct, Captain," he announced. "We no longer appear to be in the same space as before. I am not sure how this is possible. If we are indeed unable to contact the ship, we should also be unable to determine our current position."

Q dusted himself off as he stood from his perch. "Semantics. But do you see your precarious position now? This place doesn't really exist in this galaxy! That means your ship won't be able to reach you, regardless of sensor strength or natural materials. Which leaves you with one of two choices, _Captain_. Stay where you are, hoping they will eventually be able to find you, knowing that won't happen. Or allow me to help you."

Hiro couldn't help but wonder if Davish Seven had somehow gone into the Rift, just like the alien entity he'd harbored all those months ago. It would explain a few things, he supposed. But he couldn't be sure. He'd have to ask the Doctor about it when he had the next opportunity to do so.

"And what kind of help do you offer?" Picard asked, more than a little wary.

The alien looked a bit hurt at that comment. "That hurts, mon capitaine" he said, pressing his hands against his chest. "But if you allow it, I can guarantee you a way out of this situation. I can take you somewhere safe. Otherwise, you'll likely get crushed when this planet decides to self-combust in oh…." He pretended to look at the sun as if to determine time, "a matter of hours."

"What?!" Hiro couldn't help but exclaim out loud, though his voice didn't seem to disturb the scene before him. But if this place was going to self-combust, he had to figure a way out of this mess before it did. Or he might not make it back to the rest of his friends.

"I say no," Worf interjected. "Previous experiences dictate that we cannot trust him."

The captain looked from one officer to the other, probably weighing out the options as any good leader did. Picard let out a sigh, clearly not happy with events if Hiro was any judge. "We accept your offer."

Q clapped his hands together. "Excellent. You won't regret it." With that, another brilliant flash of light filled the cave, blinding everyone, including Hiro.

* * *

"I almost hate to change subjects," Honey Lemon spoke up in the lull following GoGo's comment about someone paying if Hiro had been hurt. "But shouldn't we be working on a strategy for this afternoon?" She glanced around at the various faces around her. Even though they'd pretty much finished breakfast, a late one at that, there was still some time to get things in order. Or so she hoped. And since everyone else seemed to have forgotten about their looming deadline, she had brought it upon herself to remind them.

Several of those gathered in the breakfast room looked at her questioningly. "This afternoon?" Fred inquired, confusion written all over his face.

Honey resisted the urge to wring her hands. "Yes, this afternoon," she emphasized. "If the kidnapper wants us to drop off money at the park, chances are good they'll be somewhere nearby to pick it up."

GoGo nodded as she caught on to her friend's line of thought. "And if we can catch him, or her, in the act of picking up the money, maybe we can force them to show us where Hiro is."

"I don't know about using force," Honey said with a bit of a cringe. She knew GoGo wouldn't mind pummeling someone for what had happened. "Maybe we could just ask nicely."

Wasabi moved a bit too quickly and winced as his muscles pinged. "Personally," he said between clenched teeth, "I'm all for just following him back to his lair."

The two Doctors exchanged glances. "Yes, well, I suppose we can worry about the past later," the one with the bow tie admitted. "So long as we have a good plan for the present. We do have a plan, don't we?"

"Perhaps we could devise a tracking beacon to place inside the ransom money," Data suggested. "That way we can track his or her location. "Would it be possible to procure such an item?"

Fred looked excited at the prospect. "Oh yes," he said enthusiastically. "I bet they have those at the spy shop around the corner. I mean, since Hiro's not here to make one for us," he added as the others of his team gave him odd looks. They'd used up the last batch on a different project.

Deanna still looked a bit pale from her bout with whoever she'd sensed, though she'd managed to close off her empathic channels. "Aren't you forgetting something? Someone has to get the money necessary for the drop. Somehow I don't think using something fake will work."

That seemed to dampen Fred's spirits a bit. "Oh yeah. Guess that means I need to go to the bank." But then he brightened up again. "I know! I'll send Heathcliff to the spy shop while GoGo and I go to the bank!"

Wasabi gave the mascot a funny look. "And just who is going to drive you there? You're not taking my car. It's a total wreck. Besides, I don't even know what yard they took it to."

"True," Fred had to agree. "But aren't you forgetting that there's more than one car here? I'm sure my folks won't mind if I let GoGo drive one of the smaller cars. I mean, I would totally ask you to drive, Wasabi, but I think your injuries might make that a little difficult, what with your stiff muscles and all that. Of course, GoGo did hit her head. Think you'll be okay to drive? I suppose I could drive, but I'm a bit out of practice." Even though he did technically have a license, he wanted to give his friend something to do. She looked a bit down.

GoGo rolled her eyes. "I'm always read to drive."

Picard took that opportunity to stand authoritatively. "I don't mean to burst any bubbles, but should you really be allowed to operate a vehicle?" He glanced questioningly at GoGo.

Baymax moved to stand in a line of sight with the adrenaline junky. "I will scan you now," he announced before performing the simple procedure. "You appear to experiencing some lingering pain," he observed. "However, I do not believe you will be impaired should you choose to operate a vehicle so long as someone else is there to make sure you do not relapse."

GoGo moved over to Fred's side and grabbed him in a sort of side hug that was more masculine in nature than anything else. "Fred'll have my back, right, Fred? You do have a driver's license, just in case, right?"

Fred kind of smiled as he shrugged. "Of course I have a license," he said. "I just never use it because someone else usually drives me around or I use the public transit system. Of course, while carrying around ten grand, I'm not exactly prone to using the trolley system, if you know what I mean."

Before anyone could comment on that, however, Honey Lemon's cell phone began to ring. Looking a bit surprised, the Latino pulled out the device and looked at the caller ID. "It's Hiro's aunt," she breathed. "What do we tell her?"

Not giving her a chance to decide, Fred grabbed the phone and activated it. "Oh hey, Ms. H. How's it going?" He paused for a moment. "Oh, yeah, sorry, Honey was a bit busy so I answered for her. Hiro? Oh, he's sacked out in the movie room. He dropped his phone in the swimming pool so that's why he hasn't called you. We did some extreme workout the night before and the little dude was just totally wiped out. Yeah, I'll tell him you called as soon as I see him."

With a click, Fred handed the phone back to his friend. "I hope you don't mind me doing that," he said almost lamely as she took back the cell. "I figured she'd believe me more easily. You're just not that good at lying."

"Hiro's aunt will have to be told what is going on at some point," Picard pointed out. "Especially if she is his legal guardian. We can't keep her in the dark forever." If it were up to him, she'd have already been informed about what was going on.

GoGo blew a gum bubble and popped it. "We don't have to keep her in the dark forever, just until we get Hiro home." She turned to Fred and grabbed him by the fabric on his left shoulder. "Come on, Fred. The sooner we get this done the sooner we can get Hiro back. Let's go."

Fred gave a sort of wistful yet cheerful wave as he was dragged out of the room. "Don't forget to get everything else ready," he reminded before he was pulled through the doorway.

Baymax blinked at the room in general. "Fred is correct. We should focus on creating and implementing a plan to apprehend the kidnapper."

Picard let out a sigh. Once again, he was out of his element. He'd tried to assert his authority and had failed. Obviously their respect for him hadn't gone to the level of letting him make critical decisions just yet. "Very well. Mr. Data, would you be so kind as to procure a map of the area in question? Also, while you're at it, would you look in on Worf and Q? I'm a little surprised they haven't joined us yet."

"Yes, Captain," Data said with a slight nod. He turned crisply on his heels and all but marched out the door.


	33. What's the Point?

Worf couldn't help but growl in frustration. He'd searched the majority of the manor, excluding the areas he knew the others would be using. Chances were good that if Q really had gone AWOL, he wouldn't go where they others were. Having run out of places to look inside, he took up his tricorder and headed outside. He'd seen many individuals use something similar looking, if not less clunky. When he'd asked about the devices in question, one of their new team members had called them cell phones. Everyone seemed to have one so he doubted he'd stand out with his device.

Chances were good he wouldn't be able to find Q through trying to determine DNA. His tricorder wasn't made for that kind of thing. But he could keep an eye out for any residual energy running rampant. It was always possible Q would be drawn to those occurrences as well. And, if nothing else, he could use the data for something else later on. He'd opted to leave his phaser back in his room, safely hidden away, just to be safe. It was a shame their communicator badges didn't work, and that Q didn't have one.

Walking towards the same park Deanna and the other girls had visited, Worf almost bumped into someone walking in the opposite direction. He gave a low growl, sending the jogger running away in a much quicker manner. With a shake of his head, the Klingon continued down his chosen path. He would search the whole city if he had to, brick by brick.

* * *

GoGo sat behind the wheel of one of the sweetest cars she'd ever had the opportunity to drive. Should she really be driving? Probably not, but she didn't care. How else was she going to get the opportunity to drive a Maserati?

"Now, remember," Fred said as he buckled himself into the passenger seat, "no crazy driving. I had to make some serious promises to the rest of the gang, especially Baymax. We just go to the bank, get the money, and come back. My parents will kill me if you so much as scratch this car. Kapiche?"

The adrenaline junky rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah," she said as she turned the key in the ignition. "I got it. Can you just let me drive? Jeez."

With an almost comical smile, Fred settled back in his seat. "Just thought you needed a reminder. I mean, I'm too old for grounding or anything like that but I can still be cut off."

GoGo shifted the car into gear, momentarily closing her eyes as the engine purred. "Don't worry," she assured, "we'll be back in one piece. I just gotta take this chance while I have it." Realizing what she had in mind, Fred had only a few seconds to brace himself before GoGo hit the gas pedal, pealing out onto the main road.

* * *

Heathcliff found the remaining group in the library, where Data had gone to print off another map. This one showed only the area in question. "Pardon me," the butler said as he set down a small box he'd procured from the spy shop down the street. "The young master requested I acquire this for your afternoon activities."

Honey Lemon glanced up from the map, blinking a bit in surprise. She doubted she'd ever understand how the man could do so much in so little time. "Thanks," she said, smiling at him. "Now all we need to do is figure out what we're doing and place the tracking device."

Picard glanced at the map, trying to figure out the best defensive positions. Chances were good the kidnappers didn't know about the rest of the team and wouldn't be looking for them. If that were indeed the case, they could have several of their people placed beforehand to keep an eye on things. And then, as previously discussed, one or more could follow the kidnapper back to their base. The tracking equipment was more of a backup, as far as he was concerned.

"Data, while I appreciate that you had to take some time printing off this map, I can't help but wonder if you've yet checked in on Mr. Worf or Q," Jean-Luc said without looking up. It really hadn't been all that long since they'd left the breakfast room, but he still hadn't heard word about his chief security officer and his charge. Surely the android hadn't forgotten.

The android in question looked up from the computer. "My apologies, Captain," he said. "I did take the opportunity to check in on both of them. However, the room was empty. Neither Mr. Worf or Q appear to be in the immediate area."

That comment did bring Picard's head up to look at the officer. "And you couldn't have told me this sooner because…?"

Data looked somewhat confused as he tilted his head from one side to the other as he looked back at his commanding officer. "I did not see a need to inform you as it appears Worf is still with Q, even though they are both no longer in the immediate area."

"I will be the judge of that," Picard reminded, then he let out a sigh. "Well, there's not much to be done about it now." He glanced around the room. Deanna sat in one chair across from the small table where the map was currently located. Honey Lemon stood near her, while he was on the other side. Wasabi sat closer to the captain, still looking rather worse for wear.

Baymax and the two Doctors had opted to go off somewhere else, though Jean-Luc didn't know where. He hoped that wherever they'd gone, whatever they were doing, would be helpful to what was going on right now. But since the two men were as elusive in his understanding as Q was, he couldn't be sure about that. Not to mention, there was still the matter of things only partially explained from earlier. That would have to be remedied, but later. Once they apprehended the fugitive.

Data acknowledged the reprimand from his superior and moved to join the others around the map. "I believe the current problem is deciding on whom to best send for this mission," he observed. "While either Fred or Honey Lemon must understandably be the one to deposit the money, there is the matter of who should be in the area to observe the transaction. I do not believe the kidnapper will show up until after they have left the immediate vicinity."

"If I can be close enough, maybe I can get a read on him," Troi pointed out. "If nothing else, that will help us determine the mental state of our target."

Picard had to nod at that logic. Since no one else seemed inclined to take charge while GoGo was gone, he'd taken on the responsibility. "Yes, that would be helpful. We can't be sure if this kidnapper truly means to harm Hiro or not. I think Mr. Data and I should also be present, as well as GoGo. Wasabi, you should remain behind. I don't think you're in any condition to offer your usual services."

Wasabi leaned back in his chair, arms folded. "Fine with me. With my car totaled, there's really not much I _can_ do on that end. Besides, it might look a bit weird if Fred and Honey didn't show up with the same driver as before." He knew his sore muscles would only slow him down, though he had every intention of doing everything he could to remedy that.

"What about Worf and Q?' Honey wondered. "I know they're not here right now, but shouldn't they be somehow involved?"

Deanna glanced over towards the captain, her expression unreadable. "I have a feeling those two might be occupied for a while," she commented. "It's probably best to let them do what they're doing for now. I'd say the same for the two Doctors as well. I think they're working on something of their own that might prove helpful, though I can't be sure about that."

The counselor's reasoning was sound, Picard supposed. The two Doctors would likely do their own thing regardless. And he doubted they'd be taking any orders from anyone. "Fine. We'll let them do their own thing. For now. As for the rest of us, let's start working on strategy, then go out and survey the area in question."

With everyone agreeing to the plan, things started to come together. All they had to do now was wait for Fred and GoGo to return with the money.

* * *

Fred couldn't help but press himself back against his seat, his eyes wide as he stared out the front window of the Maserati. There was just a hint of fear behind his gaze. He was usually up for some pretty crazy stuff but he really wasn't sure about this. Though, in a way, it was his fault for not going with one of the other, less expensive cars. He's just wanted to show her some token of his feelings by letting her drive one of the most expensive cars in the garage.

"Uh... GoGo? Think we could slow down a little?" Fred called out as he braced himself against the potential of a very quick stop. "Remember what we talked about earlier?"

GoGo didn't so much as look at him as she shifted the clutch, sending the car forward at even greater speeds. Chances were good they'd attract the attention of a cop sooner or later, which was why she'd opted for the highway. And at this time of day, it wasn't as congested as it might otherwise be. "Woman up," she reprimanded as she shifted gears once more. "What happened to your sense of adventure?"

Fred had to swallow back a bit of bile as she swerved around traffic that was going much more slowly than they were. "It's perfectly intact," he countered. "I just didn't think we were going to go on a road rage detour."

Letting out a bit of a sigh, GoGo decelerated, her foot easing off the gas pedal. "Fine," she pouted. "But what's the point of having a fast car if you can't drive fast?"

With a somewhat loud exhalation, Fred tried to unhinge his fingers from the seat belt. "Much better," he breathed. "I don't mind speed any more than the next person," he defended. "But remember we're on a mission. Hiro's depending on us. We just need to go to the bank, get the cash, and head back to my place."

"Fine." The car slowed down even more, allowing the rest of the traffic to catch up with them. Realizing they were close to their destination, GoGo veered sharply in front of another vehicle so she could make the exit they wanted. A few more quick maneuvers brought them to the bank's parking lot, the car drifting into an open spot as GoGo applied the hand brake, making the car rotate 180 degrees before putting it in neutral.

Fred took a moment to regain his composure before the fan boy side of him kicked back in. "That was awesome!" He was about to ask if they could do it again when thoughts of their current assignment crept back in. From the corner of his eye, he though he saw GoGo smirk just a little as he undid his seat belt.

"Am I good to wait outside or do you need me to act as your body guard while you get the money?" GoGo quipped as she adjusted her seat to lean back, her hands now behind her head. "I could use a nap."

Looking at his friend a bit more closely, Fred realized she was still a bit more pale than usual. "Um… I'm not trying to be nosy or anything, but how are you feeling? It's been kind of a rough couple of days for us all and, I don't know, you just seem to be having more of a rough time than others."

GoGo peeked over at Fred's sincere face, noting the concern in his eyes. The bandage on his nose had gotten a bit dirty and probably needed to be changed. The thought brought back memories of the day before and her rather impromptu actions in the bathroom. A hint of color crept up her face as she thought about it. "Nothing I can't handle," she said, trying to sound her usual gruff self. "What about you? You can't keep blaming yourself for what happened either."

"You know," Fred partially drawled as he turned dramatically towards her. "Since we're letting out or feelings and all that, maybe now would be a good time to discuss what happened yesterday."

The color rose up even higher on GoGo's cheeks, though it wasn't as noticeable as it could have been. "What about yesterday?" It wasn't that she didn't want to talk about it. It was just that she didn't know what she thought about it. Yes, she'd kissed him. Yes, she'd leaned on him. She really wasn't sure what had gotten into her. "There's not really anything to say. Like you said earlier, we have a mission to focus on right now. Everything else can wait until after we rescue Hiro."

"Yeah," the mascot reluctantly agreed as he dropped back against the seat, his shoulders sagging. "I guess you're right. Hiro comes first." Slowly, he opened the car door and climbed out, almost hitting his head as he ducked to swing onto the parking lot. The car did sit low to the ground, making it more difficult for him to get in and out with his added height.

GoGo let out a growl as she undid her seat belt. "Hold up. I'm coming in with you," she huffed as she opened her door, taking the keys as she locked up. "I can't take you anywhere, can I?"

A small smile lit up Fred's eyes as she walked around the car to join him. He almost reached out his hand to grab hers but refrained. GoGo was right. They should wait to talk about what happened.

* * *

The two Doctors waited until the others had left the breakfast room before escorting Baymax up to the control center. There were decidedly a few things that needed to be put out in the open before they proceeded with anything.

Baymax waddled towards Honey's chem table, where the blue-clad Doctor had placed Hiro's map. "I believe you wished to ask me about Hiro," he reminded as the man poured over the map, his companion joining him. He wasn't sure if the two men were stalling or just scatter-brained.

"Right," the two of them said in unison as they looked up, one clapping his hands together while the other rubbed his instead. "Now this is very important," the bow-tied Doctor began. "Tell us everything you remember about Hiro's encounters back in the time loop. Any details you can remember may be beneficial in understanding what all is going on."

The robot blinked questioningly at the two Time Lords. "I do not see how this information will help Hiro's current situation," he admitted.

The younger Doctor moved to the other side of the table, closer to Baymax, and leaned against the edge. "We're trying to determine just how many times you remember Hiro going back in time," he explained. "It will help us get our timelines straight, I hope. After all, we did attempt to keep things to rights a few times. We just need to make sure the numbers match up."

"Understood," Baymax said, then leaned back a bit so his stomach protruded. "I will show you all the video recordings I kept from the various incidents you described." With that said, Baymax activated his internal projector and began showing the footage.

* * *

James let out a sigh of relief as he finally came up with an extension cord that should actually work. He'd found several fragments of various cords, though they'd all been too damaged to risk using. But, finally, he'd found one tucked away in a lower office. At least he thought it was an office. It didn't really matter. He had a cord and that's what was important.

All but running, he went back up the stairs, two at a time, the cord trailing out behind him. It was a nice long one, and should reach any outlet. And since the lights still worked, he figured those should too.

The door to Hiro's room stood open, just as he'd left it. And the toddler lay just where he'd left him as well. He had to look around to find an actual outlet, but that was more easily managed than finding the cord in the first place. He attached the appropriate ends to the socket, then to the heater, praying he hadn't been ripped off and that the old thing still worked. Not that he was out any money for it.

The motor started up with a bit of a clatter, but it soon evened out as the heating element kicked in. The heat felt wonderful when compared to the colder air of the room. "Yes!" he exclaimed, resisting the urge to do a happy dance. It worked. Now to situate the brat to keep him warm. He didn't want him too close or something would catch fire, but he didn't want him too far away either.

"Okay, kid, your turn," James said as he rolled him up more snugly and moved him to within a meter or two of the heater. "That should do the trick." It took him a moment to notice that the boy's lips had started to chap, reminding him of his own thirst. If he was thirsty, the boy should be outright dehydrated by now.

James cursed. This wasn't going to work. Yes, he could get the kid warm again, but that wouldn't do any good if he couldn't keep him hydrated enough not to cause problems. Then he remembered the water bottle from earlier, along with the burritos. They'd gone cold while he'd been looking for the extension cord, but he didn't care. The water was what mattered at the moment.

Propping up the toddler against his knee, James opened the water bottle and tried to pour a little of the clear liquid into the boy's mouth. Most of it dribbled out, though he thought some probably made it to the back of the kid's throat. At least he hoped so. "Come on, kid," he complained. "You gotta work with me here."

But Hiro continued to lie listlessly in his arms as he tilted the boy's head back further to get a little more water into his mouth. More dribbled out, but the boy swallowed. Maybe it would work better if it was a baby bottle, James mused, not that he wanted to go out and look for one at the moment. He had to make sure the kid got warm enough he wouldn't catch hypothermia or something first. And if that meant he had to stay with him for an hour or two, well, that's what he would do. There was no way he could return the kid in a worse state than he already was in.


	34. You're Going The Wrong Way

When Hiro could see again, he realized he was still in the underground cavern, but Picard, Q, and the others were gone. The ground shook underfoot and he almost went down. "I gotta find a way out of here," he said aloud, more out of habit than anything.

He still remembered how Q had said the place was going to essentially blow to high heaven in only a matter of hours. But if the space traveling group hadn't been able to find a way out of there without Q's help, how was he going to on his own?

"Okay, Hiro," he said to himself, "there's gotta be a way out of this place. Just look for a new angle. You can do this." At least he wasn't in pain anymore, though it was still cold. The icicles were growing in size all around him, slowly encroaching him. They were deep blue inside, telling him just how cold it really was. Why hadn't the others been shivering like he was now? His teeth practically rattled with the violence of his shivers.

"Focus on what's important," he admonished himself. "Now's not the time to think about that kind of stuff." He had to find a way out of there before the thing imploded or he froze to death, whichever came first. "You've got this." Man, he really wished Baymax was there, in full out armor. That way he could just punch a hole in the rock and they could fly out. Of course, once that was accomplished, he'd still have to figure out how to get off the planet.

Not sure what else to do, Hiro started walking down another tunnel, heading away from the cavern he'd just visited. After all, doing something was better than doing nothing. He kept rubbing his arms across his chest to try and keep warm, his three-quarter length khakis exposing the bottom part of his legs. Those parts were covered in goose bumps, but there wasn't anything he could do about it. They would soon feel the kiss of frostbite, if they weren't already. He couldn't tell.

"You're going the wrong way, Knucklehead."

Hiro stopped, quickly turning around but didn't see anyone. "T-tadashi? Is that you?" His voice quivered from shivering, his teeth chattering with both fear and cold.

"Over here," the voice called out again and Hiro turned to see his brother standing in front of an empty space. "If you want to get out of here, you have to go this way."

Hiro moved closer, trying to peer past his brother. But if there was anything to see, he couldn't see it. It was almost like someone had thrown indigo ink at the wall, leaving a giant blotch large enough for him to stand next to it without reaching its top, except he could feel a draft of air coming from that blotch. "I can't see anything," he complained as he took a step back.

Tadashi turned to look in the same direction as his brother, though his body seemed somewhat transparent, now that Hiro thought about it. "If you want to get out of here, it's the only way. You do want to go home, don't you?"

The teen genius couldn't help but feel some misgivings. "Yes?" He sounded far from certain. Everything that had happened since waking in that warehouse prison somehow felt off. Even now, he couldn't be sure he was actually awake. "I just… I just don't want to go alone."

He felt Tadashi cuff him on the shoulder. "Hiro, you've never been alone. Remember? I've always been here. Right here." He pressed one finger against Hiro's chest. "I never left. You just never asked for my help until now."

"But I didn't ask," Hiro protested as he took a few more steps back. His eyes felt a bit fuzzy. It took him a moment to realize it was because they'd misted over with unshed tears. "Why can't I ever see in you something that isn't a dream or make believe? It's not fair!"

Tadashi let out an exaggerated sigh. "Haven't we been through this already? Remember what happened when you wished for the chance to bring me back? You can't change fixed points in time, Hiro. It destabilizes the whole universe. You almost died."

Hiro winced as images filtered into his mind. He'd thought they were all just part of some weird dream. But what if they weren't just dreams? A sharp pain stabbed through his head and he put both hands to his temples as he went down to his knees.

"See? It's all coming back to you," Tadashi commented, though he didn't offer to do anything more than stand by and watch. "It's your memories from those failed attempts trying to reintegrate back into your brain. What the Makt didn't tell you is that humans weren't meant to process that kind of information, which is why you progressively deteriorated every time you went back and tried to change things. The time lines were overlapping in your brain and it couldn't handle it. Your mind must have tried to destroy the connecting synapses in order to keep you from going insane."

Hiro tried to follow what his brother was saying. He really did, but his head felt like it was going to explode. "And what about now?" he protested through clenched teeth. "I feel like my brain's melting!" It was in odd contrast to the rest of his body, a mind as hot as lava and a body as cold as ice.

"But it's not," Tadashi countered. "You've been in the Rift so many times now that your molecular structure has changed. It's increased your mental capacity to the point that your brain is now trying to reconnect all of those synapses."

The teen went down to the ground, his knees pressing against the debris on the floor as his head touched the icy wall. "Why does it have to hurt so much?!" A sob tore from his throat as he cried out in agony. It hurt even worse than the first time the Makt had made contact. Perhaps when that had happened, they were trying to force his mental acumen to the point it was now and had failed.

Tadashi moved to lean over his brother, though he didn't quite touch him. "I don't know," he admitted. "But I think it's similar to when the circulation is cut off from something like your leg. You get the pins and needles sensation as the blood starts flowing back through again. The more starved the limb is, the more it hurts when the blood flow is returned. It's probably something like that, only, instead of blood flowing, it's so much more. And your body has to experience the sensations it did when those events were unfolding in order to successfully integrate them back into the whole."

Hiro rocked his head back and forth in denial. "I didn't ask for this! I don't want it! Can't you make it stop!?"

"I wish I could," Tadashi admitted. "You know I don't like to see you suffering. But I can't stop it. Once the process has started, it has to finish or something bad will happen. And trust me when I say, you don't want to know what. But there is a way to at least lessen the pain. Follow me through this portal and you can take things on one at a time. It should be easier that way. But whatever you choose, you have to hurry. You can't stay here forever. There's a lot going on that even I don't understand. Q was right. This place will implode in a matter of hours, probably less, though I doubt you can survive that much longer in this cold. You have to decide here and now. What are you going to do?"

It took a great deal of effort, but Hiro managed to stand. The pain was no less. He felt like his body was tearing itself apart from the inside out. In fact, if he thought about it, it reminded him of that moment up on the roof of the café, back when they were trying to rescue Aunt Cass. Only this was much, much worse. Had the process started back then? He'd thought it was the universe tearing itself apart, but what if he'd been wrong?

"Come on, Hiro," Tadashi called urgently. "You don't have much time. What's it going to be?"

With a force of will, Hiro opened his eyes. He still couldn't see into the black inkiness before him. He had no idea what was on the other side, but anything had to be better than this. Letting out a yell that was half scream half cry of anguish, he dived into the darkness.

* * *

Honey Lemon had to resist the urge to touch her earpiece. She knew it was working because she could hear Fred singing to himself over the frequency. She wasn't exactly happy about having to wait in the car, but it was probably better this way. After all, they only needed one of them to place the money. And if she was seen just lurking around, it might scare away the kidnapper.

She glanced out the tinted window of the limo to see that Picard and his people were in place. Deanna was sitting on a park bench, watching the children play, pretending one of them was her own. She didn't have to pretend a whole lot to look maternal. Data had found a newspaper and was sitting on another bench, pretending to read it. And Picard was sitting on the grass, reading a book. Or at least he was doing a good job of looking the part.

Fred strode over to the drop off point, a trash can that was a bit more out of the way. The thing was so far out of the usual path that it was actually empty. Looking around for a moment, he lifted the small backpack and set it into the empty receptacle. "Package away," he said as he resisted the urge to fish it immediately back out. It wasn't like he needed the money, but it was the principle of the matter. Of course, if it meant saving Hiro, that was something else entirely.

"Remember to just walk away," Deanna called over through her earpiece. They'd thought about having Picard give the orders but thought it would look more natural for her to talk than for either of the readers to do so. She could be calling out to a child for all anyone observing knew. Unless they were right up next to her.

GoGo blew a gum bubble as she skated by on some roller blades. They weren't as cool as her mag-lev skates, but they would have to do. She wanted to blend in, not stand out. "I don't see anyone on the move," she reported as she swung around, skating backwards for a bit just she could look behind her, before switching back to her forward motion.

Honey resisted the urge to bite her nails. It wasn't that she was a nail biter, but the suspense was killing her. They were right on time, if the clock in the car could be trusted, which she thought it could be. Heathcliff was very good at his job. "Why isn't someone coming?" she worried.

"I recommend giving them some time," Data said over the live link. His face was momentarily hidden behind the paper as he turned a page and brought it up close as if to examine a particularly interesting article. "They may be observing us before moving in to take the money. Counselor, do you detect anything out of the ordinary?"

Deanna stood, walking towards one of the slides of the playground. "No," she said as she turned away from the trash can in question. "Everyone seems to be minding their own business. The only nervous ones here are us."

Fred continued to try and saunter away, heading back to the limo. Upon arriving back at the car, he waited for Heathcliff to open the door for him before climbing inside. "Well, I guess the only thing we can do now is wait. Probably should drive the car around a bit so we don't draw too much attention." It wouldn't do to have them see the limo waiting for something to happen. It wasn't part of the deal.

Heathcliff got behind the wheel and put the car in gear. From all appearances, he was driving off as instructed. "Should we go around the block, Master Frederick?" he inquired.

The mascot nodded from his seat next to Honey. He'd clenched his fists by his thighs, willing something to happen. They hadn't geared up, feeling that might scare the kidnapper away, but shouldn't something have happened by now?

"Still nothing," GoGo reported as she zipped by again, looking like she was making laps around the area. Her helmet, more of a traditional biker's helmet than the one she usually wore, showed her face as she chewed her gum. "Did we miss something in the letter?"

Even though he knew the others couldn't see him, mostly because of the tinted windows, and the fact that they were now driving around the next block over, Fred couldn't help but shake his head. "We've done everything the letter said to do. I dropped off the money and walked away. It didn't say to do anything else except not call the cops."

Wasabi's voice came over the frequency. "What do you mean there's nothing else? There has to be or they'd have come picked up the money by now!" He'd set himself up in the command center, which had been empty at the time. He had no idea where Baymax and the Doctors had gone.

"Let's give them a little longer," Picard spoke up for the first time as he stood up, closing his book. "If no one comes in ten minutes, we retrieve the bag and leave. Understood?"

Honey exchanged worried glances with Fred. "I don't like the sound of that. How else are we supposed to find Hiro if Baymax can't find him?"

* * *

Q straightened his clothes as he paused at a crosswalk. He'd discovered the marvelous use of crossing signals the first time he'd gone off on his own. They were truly an interesting invention, he supposed, though not all drivers seemed to heed the flashing of the lights when they should have. He'd crossed half the city, retracing his route from the last time. It was the only way he knew of to get back to the scene of Hiro's reversion in age, and that marvelous second TARDIS, his true goal.

The light flashed in his favor and he crossed, narrowly avoiding getting hit by an impatient driver who didn't want to wait his turn. "If only I had my powers!" he shouted after the disappearing vehicle, clenching his fist. "You would regret your poor decision!"

But seeing as there wasn't anything he could really do about the matter, he continued on, albeit grumpily. The incident had put him in a sour mood and he only hoped his efforts would prove worth the gamble. One of those blue boxes had to let him in. He knew it, just as he knew it was his power running rampant in the city, causing chaos. Well, okay, so it wasn't doing it right now. It almost felt like it was thumbing an invisible nose at him, to be honest. And he definitely didn't like that. It wasn't supposed to act on its own.

"Just you wait," he told the sky as he shook a fist upwards. "I'll get you back and then we'll see who's in charge!"

A few cars drove by, the passengers looking at him strangely. A few even honked, though he just ignored them. They were nothing but puny apes, after all. They would see, once he regained his abilities. He'd show them who was a god.

With a sharp nod, Q set off once more. He was on a mission, after all. And he knew this time he would not fail.

* * *

GoGo zoomed by the scene one more time. This was getting old and fast. They'd been at this for over twenty minutes now. She'd gone over every sidewalk in the park and the backpack still sat there. "Maybe it was just a test to see if you'd really do it?" she wondered. "They could be watching from a neighboring building or something with, I don't know, maybe a telescope or something?" She doubted they had a hidden camera in the area. One of the future guys' tricorder things would have picked it up, she hoped.

The adrenaline junky stopped to test out a drinking fountain. The water tasted decent so she took a sip. It at least gave her something to do. The others had moved around a few times, though she thought they looked way too obvious about it. "Maybe we should just call it good, grab the money, and go home."

Picard looked up from his new perch on a dividing wall. The cement block separated the pavilion with picnic tables apart from the rest of the park. He had to concede that GoGo might be right. "Alright," he called over his link. "We might as well meet back up and call it an afternoon. Mr. Data, if you would retrieve the bag."

From further on in the park, Data folded his paper and strode towards the garbage can in question.  He was currently the closest one to the drop spot. Trying to look as nonchalant as possible, he reached in and took out the bag. It still weighed the appropriate amount, but he opened the zipper a bit just to be sure. "The money is intact," he announced as he started towards the pre-designated meeting point, hefting the bag over one shoulder by the straps.

Hearing that, Deanna got up from the further playground area and headed towards the opposite corner of the park, where Heathcliff was supposed to come and pick them up. "I didn't sense anyone with even idle curiosity towards the drop spot," she informed. "Either GoGo is right or something happened that kept them from showing up."

One by one, they made their way back to the limo, where Fred and Honey Lemon were waiting. Data handed the bag to the mascot once he'd climbed inside. "What the counselor has suggested is entirely possible," he admitted as the captain climbed in behind him. "Something may have happened to prevent the kidnapper from showing up. The unfortunate truth is we may never know."

"Don't say that," GoGo snapped as the door to the car shut behind her. She was the last of the team to enter the vehicle. "I'm not giving up on finding Hiro. And you'd better not either."

Picard settled himself into his seat, clearing his throat. "No one is giving up," he retorted. "However, we may need to rethink our strategy. Perhaps your robot can try scanning the city again."

"That might be a bit difficult since he's not here at the moment," Wasabi's voice called over the communicators. "I saw him and the two Doctors go off somewhere, though I don't know where or even when they'll be back."

Fred's face seemed to fall at that comment. "Well that's not good," he said. "What are we going to do now?"

Honey worried her lip a little as she watched the exchange between everyone. "Maybe we should just go back to the house and wait and see if they send further instructions. GoGo might be right about this just being a test."

Upon receiving an inquiry from Heathcliff about where he should take them, Fred reluctantly gave instructions to take them back to the manor. He watched out the window, his head hanging low as the park slid past the window and out of sight.

* * *

James almost cursed when he realized what time it was. He'd missed the drop! How on earth could he have allowed that to happen? That money was supposed to help set him up for when the rest came in! This was completely unacceptable! It ruined everything.

But when he stopped to look down at the tiny life next to him, he couldn't help but calm down just a little. The tyke was kind of cute, in an annoying way. And he had managed to raise the boy's core temperature at least a few degrees. He no longer felt quite as cold, though he was still having trouble getting the child to drink anything more than a few drops of water here and there. That wasn't good.

"Definitely not how I wanted things to go," he admitted. "I was supposed to get the money, leave them a picture of you being all cute and annoying, get the rest of the money, and be on my way. No harm, no foul. You go back to your rich, loving parents, and I get enough money to buy a tropical island."

He sighed, taking one of Hiro's tiny hands in his. The skin was so soft and innocent, though it also felt a little dry. What right had he to take this kid away from his family? It just wasn't fair. James shook his head. What was he thinking? It was his idea to do it in the first place. Or was it? He was beginning to wonder. Maybe he had some kind of split personality or something. The desire to use this kid was becoming smaller and smaller the more he looked at the pathetically tiny child. What had he done? And how could he fix it?

* * *

Worf felt like he might be catching up. Q had a fairly distinguishable smell to him, and with his Klingon nose, he felt sure he would find it. It was only a matter of time. But he did feel certain the annoying man had stood at this spot for at least a full minute. His stench permeated the whole area. He felt sure of that as he wrinkled his nose in distaste.

And, based off of what he'd seen already, he had sneaking suspicion he knew where the man was going. Q didn't know too much of the city, neither did Worf, for that matter, but he did know the areas he'd previously visited. It would be a safe bet to guess that's where he was headed.

The Klingon was about to cross the street when he saw something very much out of character with everything else he'd observed in the city so far. Something rectangular and blue was rapidly approaching his location, spinning like a mad dervish as it went. He absently felt for his phaser, forgetting he'd left it behind. And as the thing came closer, he knew exactly what it was. Though why it was here now was beyond him. And it wasn't stopping.

Worf made to run towards the nearest possible escape route, only to find the TARDIS had blocked him off, the door standing wide open as the blue-clad Doctor reached out towards him, the thing mercifully not longer spinning, though it did rock a bit. "Well come on!" the Doctor called out to the alien "Get in, already!"

Seeing the Doctor there, Worf mentally debated his options. While it was possible the two of them could indeed fit inside the small box, he didn't like the idea or such close quarters. But there was also something not right with that logic. "Why?" he called back gruffly.

"Would you tell him to hurry up already?" the other Doctor called out from somewhere inside. "She's still your TARDIS and doesn't seem to take kindly to my being at the wheel."

The blue box shuddered and the Doctor in the doorway had to grab onto the frame to keep from being dumped out. "Come on!" he urged again, now gesturing wildly for Worf to join him. "Hurry up! Before someone sees us!"

That was enough incentive to get the Klingon moving. Taking a running start, he made a flying leap into the open doorway, which sat half a meter over the ground. He came to a halt inside after stumbling a bit to slow down. The door closed behind him with a resounding clack of wood against wood.

From behind the console, the brown-suited Doctor gave a rather silly smile at the shocked expression on the Klingon's face. "So, what do you think?" he asked as his companion slid the bolt on the door and moved to join them. "And don't worry, we've heard it all before."

Worf blinked in confusion. The light was decidedly different, with a great deal of illumination coming from the central column situated in the middle of the controls. The supporting beams seemed organically carved, with a bench seat off to one side of the central area. "Are we inside a holodeck?" he inquired. That was the only way to explain how so much could be present in such a tiny space.

"A holodeck?" the bow-tied Doctor asked incredulously. "Of all the things you could come up with, you chose a holodeck?"

The other Doctor let out a bit of a laugh before stifling it. "You have to admit, it's not something we've heard before," he commented lightly. Then he moved towards the console. "My turn now," he announced as he brushed the other Doctor aside. "Let's see where she wants us to go next."

Baymax took that opportunity to shuffle forward to greet the Klingon. "Hello, Worf," he said, giving a little wave. "It is good that you joined us. We are searching for Hiro."

"And I was searching for Q," Worf replied in his usual gruff manner, arms now folded across his chest.

The blue-suited Doctor peered around the console, glasses now sliding down his nose as he manipulated his screwdriver. "Oh, is he missing?"

Worf gave the two men a rather sour look. "He has gone off on his own again," he informed them. "It is my job to make sure he does not do anything we might all regret."

"Right," the Doctor responded, his compatriot making a few adjustments of his own to the control panels on the other side. "Well, we'll have to worry about that later. The ol' Girl has somewhere she wants to take us and she won't take no for an answer. Allonsy!"

"Geronimo!" the other Doctor called out as the TARDIS bucked, then tilted one way before righting itself once more. Unfortunately, the motion sent Worf into the railing before he could compensate for the motion.

"Oh no," Baymax quipped as he slid across the floor. With those words, the TARDIS seemed to shoot straight up into the air like a supersonic elevator trying to reach the heavens.


	35. Don't Give Up

Hiro felt like he fell for a long time. It was hard to even begin to guess how long, especially since he had no actual sense of time, nor had he for some time, if he thought about it. It could have been moments. It could have been days. Anything was possible. And it didn't help that he couldn't see squat.

Was Tadashi still beside him? Had he disappeared? He hoped he hadn't disappeared. He didn't know if he could get through this without the help of his brother. Good old Tadashi, steady as a rock and always there when he needed him, even in death.

Everything stopped with something that felt like a jolt, though Hiro couldn't be sure he'd actually hit anything. He just wasn't moving anymore and the shock of it sent quivers of excess energy up and down his spine. "Ouch," he said more out of habit than from any actual pain associated with the phenomenon.

"Gotta watch out for those sudden stops," Tadashi joked, though Hiro still couldn't see him. At least he knew his brother was still there.

In fact, Hiro still couldn't see anything, not even his hand when he waved it in front of his face. "Okay, so now what?" he asked, not sure if he expected an answer or not. Was he still in that pocket of nothing? Or was this some other place? He wasn't sure.

Before Tadashi could answer, however, the area around them began to change, faintly at first, but enough that it no longer looked like they'd landed in a pitch-black puddle of ink. Hints of deep purple and blue filtered into existence, along with traceries of darker pinks and reds, looking very much like arteries and blood vessels.

"What is this?" Hiro asked, not sure he understand what his eyes were seeing. "It almost looks like something from a biology class." When he turned to look around, he realized Tadashi wasn't there. "Hey! Tadashi!"

"Relax, bonehead," Tadashi's voice said calmly in his mind. "I'm not going anywhere. Welcome to your brain. Or at least a visual representation of it."

Pink and blue cotton candy clouds seemed to explode around Hiro, much like in the portal the first time he'd gone through it. "It looks like the Rift," he commented in awe. The colors constantly shifted, as if from a kaleidoscope constantly being turned. And the tendrils of darker purples and reds continued to twist and turn around the whole area, like a vast network of roots supporting a complex plant. Only there were darker tendrils, reminding Hiro of the cancerous looking vines from that first episode at the Lucky Cat Café. He cringed away from the nearest one that floated past.

"You shouldn't do that," Tadashi admonished. "Those are the memories your brain is trying to reconnect. I know you thought they were filaments of the other universe trying to infiltrate this one, tearing the two apart, but that's not the case. You have to reconnect each one or you'll never wake up."

Hiro stared ahead in horrified shock. "What?! But the last time I touched one—"

"It filled you with agonizing pain?" Tadashi finished for him.

Almost as if scuffing his shoe dejectedly against the floor, Hiro looked down. "Well, yeah." He did not like this, not one bit.

Tadashi seemed to sigh in his ear. "I thought we went over this. It's going to hurt. But this way you can take these memories on one at a time. That way it won't be quite as bad. But remember, if you don't reconnect them all, chances are good you won't wake up."

Looking around, Hiro saw hundreds, if not thousands or more of the partial fragments floating around. How on earth was he supposed to reconnect all of them? There were just too many.

"This sucks!" he complained, but he knew his brother was right. He could feel it in his bones, if nothing else. Acting as though he was reaching out to touch a poisonous snake, he reached for the closest dark tendril, grabbing on like he held a stinging nettle. A half scream of pain escaped his lips as the vine came to life in his hands.

* * *

Fred slumped into the nearest available piece of furniture, which happened to be his bed. The rest of the Big Heroes, minus Hiro and Baymax, settled near or around the dejected mascot. Neither Hiro or Baymax was there to join them. "Guys," Fred spoke up as he rubbed at his sore nose, "I don't know how to say this but it looks like we might not get Hiro back."

"Don't say that!" GoGo admonished sharply. "We're going to get him back. Don't give up."

Honey gave a wistful smile as she smoothed her sweater. "GoGo's right. We can't give up. We just need to do what Hiro does every time he gets stuck. We need to look for a new angle."

Fred fell back against the bed and stared up at the ceiling. "But we're not Hiro," he protested. "Somehow I don't think hanging upside down is going to work."

Wasabi shook his head, something that was getting a bit easier than before. "She's not saying we need to do _exactly_ what Hiro does, just look at things in a different way," he corrected. "For example, are there any clues left behind we might use to figure out what's going on? It can be anything."

GoGo mulled over that for a moment. "I did see a map in the command center that Hiro'd been working on," she admitted. "The Doctors seemed really interested in it. If I remember correctly, he'd compiled all of the recent unusual activity and mapped it out. There were two distinct areas hit the hardest, with a somewhat smaller third area."

Her words seemed to energize Fred as he sat up. "I think I might have seen this map," he confessed. "The two biggest areas were near this place and the café. And the third area was at the school lab. Coincidence? I think not!"

Wasabi looked incredulous as Fred got up and began to pace. "Coincidence or not, we still don't know what any of that means!"

"It means Hiro was interested in some kind of pattern," GoGo pointed out. "And, if you ask me, I'd say that pattern says all these weird things going on are centered around Hiro."

The physics student gave her an incredulous look. "Are you serious? Or maybe you hit your head one too many times in the car the other night. This is nuts!"

Honey watched as her friend folded her arms in a huff. "Maybe GoGo has a point," she said, trying to smooth things over. "Hiro does seem to have a lot of strange things happen to him, especially since he and Baymax went into the Portal to bring Callaghan's daughter back. But we also know it has something to do with Q and the others, because all of the recent stuff didn't start until they showed up."

"You gotta admit," Fred said, turning to face his burly friend, "she has a point. So what if this alien entity is similar enough to Q that his energy keeps getting pulled towards him? Maybe the Doctors were wrong about the two universes trying to pull each other apart. Maybe they're trying to pull together at a common point."

GoGo gave him a skeptical look, not sure she liked where he was going with this. "Are you saying you think Hiro's some kind of magnet for all this energy?"

Honey bit her lip. "Then if that's the case, we really do need to find him, before anything else happens."

* * *

Q resisted the urge to give a triumphant shout. He'd finally made it back to the other Doctor's TARDIS. It was sitting there, right where they'd left it in a little alley of the street with the remarkable sewing machine store. And the streets weren't all that busy, which was a double bonus. Maybe fate was smiling on him once more. He certainly hoped so.

"What secrets do you hold for me?" he asked the box as he stepped up to it and pressed a hand to the door. The whole thing seemed to shudder at his touch, causing him to take a hasty step back. With that initial contact, he'd felt a vastness of power he hadn't felt for a good couple of days. It reminded him of being in the Continuum. Somehow, whoever this Doctor was, he had to be similar to his own kind.

The TARDIS seemed to shake in its tight spot, almost as if it were trying to wiggle out. Q looked back up at the box with an unreadable expression. "Hmm…" he mused. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you can feel we're similar too. That is interesting. Are you sentient?"

Almost as if in response to his question, the door swung open. Dim light shown from inside. Q couldn't help but take a step forward to peer inside. "Well, that's interesting." His expression remained unreadable as he walked inside, the door closing behind him.

* * *

Worf clung to the railing inside the TARDIS for dear life. Whatever the two Doctors were doing at the control panels, he really hoped they'd stop doing it. The thing was spinning out of control, flinging them left, right, front and center. It was almost worse than being on the Enterprise during a Borg attack when they were losing. "Can one of you please get this thing under control?" he demanded as Baymax slid across the command deck for the umpteenth time.

The blue-clad Doctor looked up, that funny device called a sonic screwdriver stuck between his lips. He still wore the glasses he'd put on earlier. In a moment of potential frustration, he removed the screwdriver and jammed it into the console. "I'm trying!" he countered impatiently.

"Your comments aren't exactly helping," the other Doctor quipped as he manned the other side. Both were frantically playing with the various knobs, buttons, and levers on the dash. "Now, unless you have an extra capacitor or gravitational generator up your trousers, I highly suggest you keep your thoughts to yourself."

Baymax finally managed to grab hold of one of the many pillars inside the TARDIS control room. "I would highly recommend installing seat belts," he advised.

The first Doctor lunged at the console. He'd managed to get thrown a couple meters away when the TARDIS took a particularly violent jolt from something either outside or inside the mechanism. "I'll keep that thought for later," he replied as the TARDIS turned sideways and he had to hold onto the control panel to keep from falling into the far wall.

The other Doctor whipped out his sonic and jammed it into the control panel he clung to. Whatever he did seemed to make the ship behave itself as it returned to a more upright position. "That's better," he commented as the shaking seemed to stop completely. "For a moment, I almost missed this particular setup, but now I remember why I wanted a different arrangement. Well, outside of the explosions."

Hand held up, the blue-clad Doctor looked intently at the far wall. "Do you feel that? Something's changed." He held up one finger to hush any further conversation from the two non-Time Lords. Worf looked a bit affronted, as he'd been about to speak.

Looking around almost cautiously, the other Doctor nodded slowly. "I think you're right. It's almost as if the flow of the universe ever so subtly shifted."

At that exact moment, the TARDIS gave a bit of a shake and settled down, the central column no longer moving up and down. "I think we've landed," the first Doctor announced as he went to remove his glasses.

"The question is," his companion continued for him, "what will we find when we open the door?"

* * *

James paced the dank room. The more he thought about it the more what he'd done made no sense. Why hadn't he thought it all through in the first place? Why had he just acted on the little niggling thoughts in his head? He was in an even bigger bind than if he'd just stolen money from Yama. If he'd done that, he would have only had to worry about being beat to a pulp. Now he faced potential criminal charges if he didn't figure a way out of this mess.

"What's the point of having some crazy power for a few days if it's not even going to help me get out of this mess!" he complained to the air. Whatever energy had poured into him only a few days ago seemed to have completely forsaken him. He couldn't help but feel certain of this truth. That left the question of why. Why had the stupid energy shown up in the first place? And why had it wanted him to kidnap this child?

James moved back towards Hiro's side, feeling his forehead. The child had regained a lot of his body heat, though he was still not quite where he probably should be on that end. And there was no way he was getting enough water in him. Forget the fact that James knew the boy hadn't eaten for at least twenty hours now. He couldn't vouch for what may or may not have happened before he appeared in the stolen vehicle just the other night. Anything was possible.

The man began to pace again. He couldn't just turn himself in without suffering the consequences. And even if he told them some energy thing had forced him to do, he doubted they'd believe him. Besides, he doubted the child's parents had reported it just yet. At least he didn't think they had. He'd heard nothing over the police scanner about it. He also couldn't just leave the kid there, hoping someone else would find him. Chances were good that wouldn't happen, and then he'd be guilty of not only kidnapping but a whole slew of other crimes.

"Think!" he told himself as he took another turn around the room. He couldn't just drop him off at the local hospital either. They'd want proof of insurance or identity or something. And he couldn't just say he'd found the kid somewhere. There would be an investigation of some kind, which would likely lead to his kidnapping the boy in the first place. Was there a way he could just return the child without giving himself away? Maybe. But how?

Maybe he could leave the kid in an area his parents were sure to visit. He'd have to go under cover of darkness so he wouldn't get caught. But where could he do that and be sure they'd find him before something bad happened to their baby? If something really bad happened to their child, they probably would go to the police. As things stood, the kid wasn't doing too well. But, maybe if he dropped him off sooner than later, they'd just be so happy to have him back they'd drop the whole matter.

That brought James back to the dilemma of where to drop off the boy. He didn't think going straight to the parents' house was a good idea. But he wasn't sure where else they'd be. "Okay," he spoke up, rubbing at eyebrow. "You got me into this mess, whatever you are. You'd better help me get out of this."

Then inspiration struck. Maybe all he had to do was drop the kid off in some place easy to get to, but enough out of the way that he wouldn't get hurt. Then he'd have a note delivered to the kid's house, telling his parents where to pick him up. Why hadn't he thought of that before? That way he could take his time deciding on a suitable place and make sure he didn't leave any clues behind that would lead back to him. It was genius! Now he just had to decide on a place.

* * *

Hiro staggered back with exhaustion. His whole body, figuratively and literally, was covered in sweat. "I don't know how much more this I can take," he admitted. His chest heaved as he panted, his heart thudding in his chest.

"Come on, Hiro, you can do this," Tadashi encouraged as he materialized to sit next to his brother. "You've gotten through one whole timeline. You've only got five or so more to go."

That comment made Hiro's head come up sharply. "Five! I don't remember there being five! I thought there were only—"he tried to count recall the fragments he'd seen, "three?" He wasn't at all sure about that though. Partial memories of those past events swam before his eyes, though he couldn't be sure if they were real or imagined. And just going through the memories of one timeline had taken him forever! Why were there so many disjointed filaments of memory for each one?

Tadashi cuffed him on the shoulder. "Hey, you've got this. You survived the shortest one. You can survive the rest."

Hiro stood in protest. "What do you mean the shorted? How could that have been the shortest?! It took forever to find all the right fragments!"

The older Hamada held out phantom hands. "Now, Hiro, just try to calm down. Remember that what happens in here will effect what happens to your body. And yes, that was the shortest. You broke your ribs when Yama's men got to you before I could, remember? That one lasted only a couple of days, a week at most. The others, well, let's just say they're a little longer. That one was actually your second incarnation after the time loop was created. At least I think it was."

"What!?" Hiro didn't know what to do with himself. He couldn't exactly throw a temper tantrum. Though if he were still in his toddler form, it would be more than acceptable given the circumstances. "You mean I'm not even doing them in order? What kind of crap is this!?"

Tadashi sighed. "I'm not the one who chose to start with that one," he admonished. "You'd actually touched on the first repeat while still back at Fred's place, in your dreams. Drowning, remember? And a few others, now that I think about it. It's okay if you need to take a bit of a break. It's a lot to take in."

Hiro plopped back down into a sitting position. He wasn't even sure what the point of all this was. What exactly did it accomplish? All he knew was that Tadashi had told if he didn't finish it all, he'd never wake up. But why? Why did he keep getting these raw deals where if he didn't something the right way, he'd end up dying or some such or other? It wasn't fair!

"Don't pout," Tadashi admonished. "You can do this. I have confidence in you. You're not the same little brother I used to tease when I was alive. You're much stronger now. You can handle it. Trust me."

Hiro threw his hands up in the air in frustration. "'Trust me' says the voice in my head. I don't even want to know what a shrink would say if he ever heard about this. I don't even know what I'm doing!"


	36. We'll Find Him

Silence filled the TARDIS after the Doctor's question. No one seemed inclined to go out and explore, not after all the crazy bumps and spinning. Finally, Worf decided to take it upon himself to initiate what he knew had to be done. "What are we waiting for?" he asked as he strode towards the door. A little chagrined, both Doctors fell into step behind him, followed by Baymax.

Worf unbolted the door and pulled it open. If he was expecting to see some inter-spacial type of environment, he was sadly disappointed. "We appear to be in the city," he announced as he pulled out his tricorder and scanned the area.

The view from the TARDIS actually looked into an alley, the non-street side of the alley at that. And, from what anyone could tell, they were jammed in tight between two buildings. "I am detecting readings similar to this vessel," the Klingon informed as he took several steps out onto the concrete.

"If I am not mistaken," Baymax spoke up as he followed Worf outside, "we are not too far from where Hiro reverted to a much younger state."

Both Doctors strode out of the TARDIS, sonic screwdrivers in hand as they also scanned the area. "I do believe you're right," the one with the bow-tie confirmed. "Only we're on the opposite side of the alley." He strode forward a good dozen or so steps, then turned around and jumped into the air.

"What do you think you are doing?" Worf questioned as he watched the Time Lord with unease.

A smile lit up the jumping Doctor's face. "I thought as much," he commented to no one in particular. "We're back to back with the other TARDIS."

His companion looked up sharply. "What?" His expression was decidedly a mix between shock, potential horror, and disbelief. But it quickly dropped to a more neutral expression. "Are we really?" He moved to join the other Doctor and jumped up a bit to see that yes, there really were two TARDISes right next to each other. He could see the light from the other one if he jumped up at the right angle. "You mean to tell me she brought us to her older incarnation? Somehow that doesn't seem normal."

"Newer," the bow-tied Doctor corrected. "Newer. Remember? I regenerated so this," and he circled his face with one hand, "is newer, which means my sexy thing is also newer."

"I don't think that's how it works," the other Doctor countered.

Worf impatiently cleared his throat, causing both to turn and look at him. "I don't mean to be rude, but could someone please explain to me what is going on and what this all means."

The Doctor with the brown coat smiled in a funny manner. "Isn't it obvious? The TARDIS wanted us to be here at this exact moment. What most people don't know about the TARDIS is that she's an intelligent being capable of so much more than just space travel."

Baymax chose that moment to waddle between the three men. "My scanners indicate that another member of our group is nearby," he stated.

"Who?" Worf demanded as he was reminded of the reason why he'd left the manor in the first place. "Could it be Q?"

Both Doctors turned to look at the Klingon. "What makes you think it could be Q?" the bow-tied one asked as he looked curiously at him. "Has he gone missing?" he asked, forgetting he'd already heard the answer to this question.

Baymax tilted his head to one side as he contemplated the data of his scans. "I am uncertain," he admitted. "However, Q did leave the manor this morning. It is possible I am detecting his presence."

"Not good!" the blue-clad Doctor said at the same time as his companion as they both jumped to run out the far end of the alley and around. Worf and Baymax followed after them as they sped through the next alley over to double-back to the front side of the one they'd just left. "I hope you brought the key!" the blue-clad Doctor declared as they stopped in front of the second TARDIS.

Giving another funny kind of smile, the other Doctor shook his head slightly. "Who needs keys when you can do this?" He snapped his fingers and his TARDIS doors opened. His companion nodded in appreciation. Not waiting to see what the other two were doing, the two Doctors stepped into the blue box, the door closing behind them.

"Hey!" Worf barked as the door shut in his face. But no matter how hard he pounded on the door, it would not open.

* * *

It was well into the afternoon when Honey got the call from Baymax. Why he was out at the far end of San Fransokyo was beyond her, but she requested Fred send Heathcliff out to retrieve both the healthcare bot and the Klingon with him. "This situation is getting more out of hand," she commented as she watched the butler head out to retrieve their friends.

"Mm," GoGo agreed with a nod of her head. She leaned against the garage, also watching the car leave. Not wanting to stick around and wait, she strode back into the house, catching a glimpse of Fred lurking nearby as she did. "Hey," she called out to him. "Follow me."

Fred gave her a rather questioning look, more confused by her sudden order than anything, but obediently fell into step behind her. "What's going on?" he asked. "Did something else happen?"

GoGo shook her head as she led him up to the command center, stopping short to enter the medical room. "No," she finally answered. "But it's probably time to change that bandage on your nose."

Giving her a somewhat skeptical look, Fred slid onto the cot nearest him. "And what about yours?" He pointed to the gauze covering the upper right part of her forehead. "I don't think that's been changed recently either." There were a few hints of red peeking through the white.

"One thing at a time," GoGo admonished. "Besides, I wanted to talk to you." She reached for a box full of gloves, not that she thought she needed it but because she wanted to be as professional about this as possible, in the off chance one of the others butted in unexpectedly.

For whatever reason, Fred couldn't help but suddenly feel nervous. "I thought we were going to wait until after all this blew over," he protested, not entirely sure if that's what she had in mind or not. He watched her a bit warily as she slipped the gloves on and went for some astringent. If his bite wound hadn't scabbed over, that would definitely hurt.

She moved back over to Fred's side, with a small tray of instruments ready for use should she need them. Again, it was more for show than anything else. Well, she'd need the bandages, the antibacterial ointment and the astringent, but probably not the other things she'd added. "We were," she said as she set the tray down. "Now hold still so I can get this taken care of."

Almost tenderly, GoGo pulled the old bandage off of Fred's nose, revealing the tiny teeth marks Hiro had inflicted a few days ago. Due to being covered, they had not scabbed over so she soaked a cotton ball with alcohol and swiped it across the area, cleaning off residual sticky from the band aide as well.

Fred tried not to wince and ended up bracing himself against the cot, his hands on either side as he subconsciously leaned away. "Ow," he complained as he scrunched up his eyes. It probably didn't hurt that much, but it hurt enough.

"Sorry," GoGo apologized as she finished up by using a spare piece of gauze to dry the area before applying the ointment. "I know we had a moment last time," she added, almost as if an afterthought. "But I'm still not sure what I think about it."

Okay, that was not going where Fred had hoping it would. He couldn't help but hang is head a bit. "Yeah. I shouldn't have instigated it. I mean—"

She shushed him by putting her finger on his lips. Looking far more determined than was absolutely necessary, she placed a fresh bandage on his large nose. "There," she said, making sure the adhesive stuck. "I didn't say it was a bad idea," she continued after a moment's pause. "Just that I don't know what to think about it. Besides, even though you may have wanted to kiss me, I'm the one who kissed you first."

He couldn't argue with that, mostly because it was true. He had gone in to kiss her but stopped, not sure how she'd react to that. And then she'd gone and done what he'd never expected her to do and kissed him instead. But it had been oh so sweet! And left him feeling super confused. "So, uh... What does it mean, then?" He couldn't forget about the other night in the command room either.

Letting out a sigh, she shooed him off the cot so she could take her turn. After all, her bandage needed changing too. And with Baymax not currently there, well, Fred was the next best thing. She mentally prepared for him to just rip the tape off but was surprised when he gently peeled it away in such a manner that she almost didn't feel it, outside of the pull to her skin.

"That doesn't look too good," Fred commented as he looked at the skin under the bandage. The area above her temple looked raw, the skin almost totally gone. "Did Baymax leave any special ointment for this?"

GoGo hissed as she pointed to another tube of ointment she'd placed on the tray. "Can you hurry it up? The air on my face makes it hurt more."

Fred couldn't help but look apologetically upset as he took up a fresh cotton ball and saturated it with disinfectant. "Sorry if it stings," he said as he touched the white surface to her wound.

It took all GoGo had to not flinch away and smack him upside the face. It stung like nothing else could but she gripped the edge of the bed and held on until her knuckles were white. "Just try to hurry," she said through clenched teeth.

And, blissfully, he did. He took care to make sure the whole area was disinfected before putting the ointment she'd indicated to a swab so he could apply it to her face without using his fingers. The medication went on in an even layer that soothed away most of the pain. He then applied a fresh gauze pad, careful to tape far enough away from the damaged skin so as not to aggravate it when the dressing needed to be changed again.

GoGo let out a sigh of relief as he finished. Then, without thinking about what she was doing, she leaned towards him and rested her uninjured cheek against his chest.

More than a little surprised by her actions, Fred wasn't sure what to do. His automatic response was to freeze, but he felt she might need something more than just a stiff board to lean against so he wrapped his arms around her instead. "Hey, you okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

She shook her head slightly, releasing another sigh as she closed her eyes. "I just… I'm worried about Hiro," she admitted. "What if we can't find him? What if he's...?" She couldn't finish the thought.

Fred moved one hand to her head, stroking her hair lightly in comfort. "Hey, it's okay," he tried to reason. "We'll find him. I mean, we've got not one, but two Doctors working on it. Not to mention everyone else."

GoGo pressed closer to Fred's chest. She wouldn't admit it to just anyone, but there were times when she needed what Baymax called "physical reassurance". She was just too independent to ask for it. "Yeah, I guess you're right," she agreed. "I just can't stand the idea of losing him too, not after Tadashi. He's like a kid brother to me. I don't want to lose that."

Fred couldn't help but nod. "Yeah. Me too," he agreed, hoping he was right about them finding him.

* * *

James stared at the map he'd borrowed from the closest gas station. He'd taken the risk of leaving the toddler alone once more; hoping nothing further would happen in his absence. He now sat in the same room as the boy, the map spread out in front of him as he munched on cold burritos. The kid wasn't going to eat them so someone might as well, he decided. Waste not, want not.

With the map in front of him, he was having a hard time deciding on where to leave the little bundle. Nothing sounded good. He'd looked at various parks, but there always lay the dilemma of whether or not someone else would get to the child before his parents did. And he wasn't sure he should take that risk. Not with everything else that was going on. He'd noticed the little tyke's condition had changed since he'd gone out.

Hiro was no longer cold. In fact, it seemed more like he had a fever. James had felt the need to turn off the heater and remove the blanket, cleaning up a bit of a mess the unconscious youth had left. It wasn't entirely the kid's fault and he'd made do with what he had. But there was no way he could just leave the boy alone, not sure if they'd find him in time, wondering if someone else might find him instead. He'd had to snitch another t-shirt for the tyke, though it wasn't the cleanest on the planet.

And forget just leaving a note. Most kidnappers didn't have a change of heart. He'd watched enough crime shows to know that. No, he had to think of something else. With a sigh, James pushed the map aside. What other way could he use to make sure the toddler made it back home without endangering him further?

It took James a moment to realize how late it had gotten. The light was fading from the sky and he went to turn on the light, thankful the power still worked. The overhead lights lit up the room as bright as daylight. It had to be well after seven at this point. He couldn't leave the kid out there now, even if he'd wanted to. It would be too dangerous, what with who knew who out there looking for trouble. No, he had to find another way. He just wasn't sure yet what.

* * *

The interior of the TARDIS gleamed with a sense of newness. An almost catwalk lined the entire outside wall of the control room, with several sets of stairs leading down to the actual control deck where Q now stood. He couldn't help but look around in awe. It was unlike any ship he'd ever seen, which was saying something.

The central column lit up with six beams of blue-ish light, which went down past the floor and to an area underneath. He wasn't sure what exactly lay down there. He hadn't had enough time to go investigate yet. And without a knowledge of the language and mechanics of the control panels before him, he hadn't felt inclined to tinker around. This wasn't, after all, his ship. Aside from which, it felt more than alive. It felt sentient, like it knew who he was and what he was doing there. He didn't quite dare to fiddle around.

At the sound of a door opening, Q turned towards the entrance to see both Doctors entering at the same time. The door closed behind them, even though he thought he caught a glimpse of Worf and Baymax outside. "Ah," he said as the two Time Lords entered the area. "I wondered how long it would take before you showed up."

"What I want to know is how you got in," the bow-tied Doctor commented as he entered the command level and approached the consoles. "The TARDIS doesn't let just anyone in. She's rather fickle about that kind of thing." His companion stayed near the catwalk, watching with a wary eye. It wasn't his TARDIS, after all.

Q took the few remaining steps between them as he looked into the first Doctor's face. "Oh? Is that so? Because she had no problem opening up for me, though I'm not really sure what all this is." He indicated the area around him with a wave of his hand.

"This is the TARDIS," the bow-tied Doctor replied. "A sentient being encased in a craft that can take me through space and time."

Q couldn't help but roll his eyes. "I already figured as much. So answer me this, if your ship can travel through time and space, what's stopping you from taking our little friends back to their ship?"

The younger-looking Doctor glanced up at his older incarnation, looking as though at a loss for words. "That would be...because..."

The other Doctor let out a sigh as he went down the stairs to join them. "That would be because we can't," he stated. "If it were just a simple matter of taking you and your friends back to where you came from, that would be one thing. But it's not. You're all somehow connected with what's happening here, which is why everything is going wrong. Here's a little something you might not know," he continued as he looked around the TARDIS. Part of him secretly cringed at the change in design. It felt so utilitarian in comparison to his version. "It all hinges on Hiro."

Another eye roll crossed Q's face. "I thought we'd already established that," he snarked. "More or less."

"He's got a point," the newly incarnated Doctor said as he crossed his arms. "We already have established that he's somehow at the center of all this, the catalyst or something similar."

But the other Doctor shook his head as he began pacing the circular deck. "No," he mused. "That doesn't quite feel right. I mean yes, yes it is somehow centered around Hiro," he paused, only to start pacing again. "But maybe not in the way we originally thought. What if," he turned to face the two others, "and hear me out on this, what if we've had it wrong all this time?"


	37. Hold On Tight

_Something sounding very much like gunshots filled the air and Hiro couldn't help but cry out. His whole body trembled with remembered pain as he huddled under the blankets of his bed. What was going on? Why was someone outside firing a gun? Without realizing it, he let out an almost whimpering sound._

_Fabric rustled from behind the screen separating his part of the room from his brother's. "Hiro?" came a rather sleepy call. "Is that you? Are you okay?"_

_The young teen wasn't sure how to respond to that, his entire body feeling as though it had been frozen in time. He could no more answer than he could make his body move._

_More cracks and pops sounded outside, echoing around the buildings surrounding them. Why did they sound so much like gunfire? Was it gunfire? And why did it make his heart pound so hard it felt like it would jump right out of his chest? And, perhaps more importantly, why was he back home when he'd been somewhere else only moments before?_

_He tried to remember what had happened before waking to this but couldn't. Had he reached out and touched something? Had he been drugged? Or was he losing his mind?_

_A particularly loud boom filled the air and Hiro somehow managed to fall off his bed on the side furthest away from the outside window. He couldn't help but cry out in pain as he landed on his right side, sending a jolt through his body that felt far from pleasant, especially now that it brought to the front other pangs he didn't want to feel._

_"Hiro? What's going on?"_

Please don't let Tadashi come out and see me like this! Please don't let him come out! _Hiro pleaded. Despite that, he knew his wish wouldn't be granted as he heard footsteps sounding against the carpet. It was kind of funny, in a way, that he could hear that slight sound, despite the general ambiance of the room. That and his whole body was shaking enough that he couldn't reasonably understand just how his ears had become so sensitive._

_"Hey," Tadashi said as he knelt next to his brother's side, feeling the trembling of his body next to his. "Are you okay? Did you have a nightmare?"_

_Tadashi's guess was thrown out the window as another explosion filled the air, causing Hiro to shudder even more. The older Hamada watched his brother with growing concern but he gently took him up into his arms. "Hey, it's okay. It's just some firecrackers someone's set off down the street."_

_Without thinking, Hiro buried himself into Tadashi's warm chest. "I thought I was going to die," he gasped, his breathing far from under control. It hurt to breathe. Why did it hurt to breathe? What was wrong with him? Flashes of gunfire seemed to streak out of the corner of his closed eyes and he flinched. He let out a cry as a phantom bullet slammed into his back. Or was it the feel of electricity exploded through his body as someone yelled "clear!"?_

_Not sure what was going on, Tadashi gently shook his brother. "Are you really awake?" He wasn't sure. Maybe his brother was stuck in a dream, or, more accurately, a nightmare. Maybe he was hallucinating. Deciding it was better to be safe than sorry, he moved one hand to press against Hiro's forehead._

_Hiro's skin had broken out in a cold sweat. Despite that, his skin felt warm to the touch. And with the continued sound of firecrackers exploding, he huddled up into as small a form as possible in his brother's arms, going into fetal position. It was something he hadn't done in who knew how long._

_Tadashi looked down in growing alarm, but not wanting to displace his younger brother, he simply stood instead of putting Hiro down. Moving slowly but surely, he headed towards the bathroom, flipping on the light with one hand, causing Hiro to cringe even more. With a sense of purpose, he leaned over the counter, propping Hiro up with one hand so he could reach into the cabinet and retrieve the thermometer._

_Hiro felt the thermal thermometer press against his temple as he whimpered silently. The firecrackers were harder to hear in the bathroom than they had been back in the bedroom, but he could still hear the echoes they left behind. Three tell-tale beeps followed the longest few seconds in his life._

_"Hmm," Tadashi mused as he looked at the numbers displayed. "That doesn't look good."_

_Before Hiro's brain could catch up with what was happening, he found himself back in bed, still curled up around his brother's body. It hurt to move. Something was wrong with his stomach but he couldn't put it into any kinds of words._

_"Just try to sleep a little longer," Tadashi soothed as he ran a hand through Hiro's messy mop of hair. "Maybe the fever will break if you do."_

_Hiro felt himself being pulled back into a state of slumber, despite the pain in his gut. His brother's words were so soothing, and his touch so gentle. For the briefest of moments, he felt as though he was back in his mother's arms when he was much younger, being gently rocked back to sleep after a bad dream..._

With a gasp, almost as if coming out of deep water, Hiro seemed to wake and found himself back in the Portal. But, wait. It wasn't the Portal. It was a representation of his mind. His hand released the filament of memory he'd just held, now connected into the fabric of his being. This particular memory had floated out from nowhere, almost as if it had been discarded, only to resurface after a breeze blew the clutter away. He had no idea what events led up to it or followed it. Without thinking, Hiro dropped to his knees and sobbed.

* * *

Baymax blinked as the car pulled up at the Whitmore Manor. After contacting Honey Lemon, she'd had someone send Heathcliff with the car to pick up both the robot and his Klingon companion. They'd had to wait some time. And during that time the TARDIS remained firmly closed to them.

"I do not like these turns of events," Worf complained as the car stopped and Heathcliff got out to open the Klingon's door. "I do not like them at all."

The floodlights lit up the drive as Honey Lemon, Picard, Wasabi, Data, and Troi went out to meet the two adventurers. They stood back as the walking marshmallow robot exited the vehicle, giving him as much room as necessary as he maneuvered around the low door of the sedan. Honey Lemon bit her lip as she waited to see what the two might tell them.

"Mr. Worf," Picard spoke up as he strode towards his security officer, "report."

Worf stood to attention, minus the salute, his shoulders back, chest slightly pushed forward. "Captain," he acknowledged before remembering he wasn't on the Enterprise and could relax. "I went in search of Q this morning. He left without my knowledge. While attempting to find him, I came across both Doctors in their blue box and was invited on board. However, when we arrived at the location where we thought to find Q, the two Doctors entered the other TARDIS, leaving us locked outside."

The captain did not look happy at this turn of events, his expression almost a scowl. "I wish you'd told me he'd gone missing before searching for him," he admonished his officer. "And did you find Q?"

Before the Klingon could answer, Baymax stepped forward, one hand raised, finger pointing upward. "I believe we did," he answered. "However, something was interfering with my scanner, which prohibited a positive identification. He was in the area. It is possible he was inside the second TARDIS."

Data took that opportunity to step forward. "Captain, if Q is with the Doctors, I believe we have no need to worry. They seem responsible individuals. I am sure they will return before too long."

Despite his officer's assurances, Picard wasn't convinced. With what he'd observed of the two Time Lords, he wasn't sure this was any better a situation than they were in previously. But at least he wasn't running around completely on his own. There was at least that small favor, even if he didn't like it.

"Perhaps we should all go inside," Deanna Troi pointed out. It wasn't that she feared unwanted attention from outsiders, but it was still a bit nippy this time of year. She shivered slightly, not wearing a long-sleeved shirt like some of the others. They were hard to put on over the brace she still wore on her arm.

Reminded of the overall comfort of those around him, Baymax began to waddle towards the back door. "Yes, that would be advisable," he agreed as he moved. "I would also like to take this opportunity to assess all of my patients to see how they are recovering."

Honey fell into step behind the robot. "I think Fred and GoGo are already taking care of each other's injuries," she pointed out. She'd peeked in on the two, long enough to see Fred replace GoGo's bandage. She'd left soon after. It looked like they might want some time alone and she was more than happy to oblige. At least something good was coming out of all this mess.

"I would still like to scan them for further injuries or complications," Baymax stated as he continued forward. The others slowly followed behind, listening in to his conversation, not that it exactly gave anything away, but anything was possible.

Picard glanced towards Deanna, wondering what she might be sensing. She had a rather interesting look on her face that he couldn't quite place. It almost looked pleased but confused at the same time. He sent himself a mental memo to remind himself to ask her about it later.

* * *

"What do you mean you might have had it wrong?" Q inquired as he stared at the blue-clad Doctor. He still hadn't quite gotten used to the whole flashing lights and odd noises the TARDIS made, but it was growing on him. Under different circumstances, he wouldn't mind taking a good look around, feeling as though the entirety was a lot larger than anyone was willing to admit. And there was decidedly something special about the whole thing. Maybe he'd been right about them somehow being related.

The Doctor in question ran up to the control panel, looking around at the various wheels, levers, and buttons. "There's really only one way to find out," he declared. "If we can find and retrieve the map Hiro made, maybe we can make better sense out of all of this."

His companion looked at him with a funny expression. "A map? " It took him a moment to realize what his older self was talking about. "Oh, right. Why didn't you just grab it before we left?"

Looking a bit sheepish, the blue-clad Doctor rubbed at the back of his neck. "To be honest, I didn't think about it. I'm still getting used to this whole working with my future incarnation thing. It is a bit odd, don't you think?"

Q rolled his eyes. "If you say there's a map, shouldn't we go looking for it? Especially if it will bring us closer to getting my powers back. I don't plan on staying human forever."

The two Doctors looked thoughtful as they turned to face the man. "You know," the bow-tied one spoke up, "he's got a point. Maybe we are looking at this the wrong way. There is one thing we should probably check, now that I'm thinking about it." Without another word, he pulled out his sonic screwdriver and approached Q. The other Doctor did the same. "At the same time?" the first asked the other and they nodded as one.

"What are you doing?!" Q protested as the two Doctors began waving their devices around him, circling like sharks in the water. Their screwdrivers hummed with energy, one blue, one green. "Stop that! This instant!" He tried to turn to follow their progress, but with the two of them going in opposite directions, it was difficult.

Just as suddenly, the two left off scanning the other man. The bow-tied Doctor moved to the console and plugged his sonic into a slot before manipulating a bunch of controls. He took a moment to look at the data spat back at him, rocking back a bit on his heels. "Now that is interesting," he commented to his companion as the other Doctor moved in to take a look as well. "Very interesting," came his reply.

Q folded his arms, a full out pout on his face as he watched the antics of the two Time Lords. "What's interesting? Is someone going to please tell me what's going on?"

The two looked directly at Q, but it was the blue-clad Doctor who answered, while the other went back to manipulate some more controls. "Even though your powers are currently running rampant, there's enough of a residue for our technology to pick up on it. And, after a few enhancements, I think we can safely say you are definitely part of the problem."

Following some modifications from the bow-tied Doctor, the central part of the control area began to move, a rather funny noise coming from the whole. It was a noise Q had heard a few times now. Suddenly realizing what was going on, he reached for the nearest railing and held on. "What do you mean I'm part of the problem!" he demanded as the whole TARDIS shook.

"It's your energy," the first Doctor replied as he also held on to a railing. Though the TARDIS had already taken a maiden voyage, this was technically the first since she'd completed her new interior and things were bound to be a bit bumpy. "It's seventy-five percent identical to the Makt, the alien entity that contacted Hiro several months ago. Basically, we just confirmed what we'd previously theorized, though you weren't there to hear it. You're somehow related to the Makt."

Q wasn't sure if he followed all of this, or, rather, he wasn't sure he wanted to. He'd already assumed his energy was running around, messing with everything going on. And, probably, messing with Hiro as well. That still didn't explain why it kept going after the boy though. "And what about the other twenty-five percent?"

The two Doctors exchanged looks again. "The rest is very similar in structure to the organic energy that makes the TARDIS the TARDIS."

"Are you saying I'm somehow related to this _thing_ as well?" Q couldn't help but look, not worried or confused, but somewhat appalled. He had felt a sort of kinship with the vessel. But to have it confirmed was something else entirely.

With a nod, the blue-clad Doctor confirmed it. "That and you seem to have a slight mutation in what would ordinarily be human DNA. You share a few characteristics, on an atomic level, with us. Which means you're also somehow part Time Lord."

Not sure how to handle all of this information, even if he'd suspected some of it; Q couldn't help but shake his head. He realized the one Doctor was still fiddling with things on the console and couldn't help but feel a sense of misgiving. "What are you doing now?"

The bow-tied Doctor gave a rather manic grin as he threw a switch. "Hold on tight! We're going to go check something out. Geronimo!"

With that, the TARDIS gave another violent lurch as it spun out into the stratosphere.


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning..... craziness will ensue.... death ahead.

**Chapter Thirty Eight: Begun To Suspect  
**

_Hiro couldn't believe he was actually doing this. Part of him knew he'd done this multiple times before, though not quite like this. Instead of rebuilding the microbots, he'd decided to go a completely different route. He was just having a hard time deciding if it was really a good idea or not._

_When he'd woken for this incarnation, shortly after dying at the hospital, he'd come to the less than awesome realization that no matter how many times he reincarnated, or whatever it was, he was going to start each timeline over with some kind of malady or other. And this time was no exception. The sad thing was that with each new incarnation, his mind seemed that less organized and able to handle what was going on._

_This time around, he'd come to with a really bad case of pneumonia, of call things. Pneumonia! He could have sworn he'd either been vaccinated or had a case as a child. Either way, it sucked to go through it again. His chest had felt tight and he had off and on hot and cold chills. Though the coughing was the worst part. He'd felt like he couldn't get enough air in his lungs, like they were constricted or something._

_But, even with all the difficulties associated with the disease, Between Tadashi and Aunt Cass, the two had patiently nursed him back to health. Sadly, it had taken a good two weeks to get back to some semblance of normal, though he was still short of breath at times, even though almost a month had passed._

_Having realized the showcase was the triggering incident that took Tadashi away from him, and maybe his microbots as well, he'd opted to go for a different route. Instead, he'd stolen Baymax and recreated their hero gear. Now that he stood at the brink of fully instigating his plan, however, he couldn't help but wonder if he was making a huge mistake._

_"Your heart rate has increased dramatically," Baymax said as he turned to observe his companion. They stood just outside the secret military base on Akuma Island, somewhere Hiro wasn't sure he should be. From the get-go, things had been decidedly different than in previous timelines. But he still had to do this. If he could fix the Portal and bring Abigail back, Callaghan wouldn't set the fire that would kill his brother._

_Ignoring his robotic companion's warning, Hiro activated the laser cutter he'd brought with him, slicing the bolts on the large steel door. With Baymax's help, they moved it to one side, opening up the inner cavity of the secret base. "So far so good," Hiro breathed as he stepped into the walkway. Even though he knew this was a bad idea, he couldn't help but feel a sense of excited anticipation.  
_

_He remembered every step as if ingrained into his mind as he walked down the corridor. He probably should have tried to get the team back together, but hadn't actually been introduced to them this go around. It just hadn't come around. And with Tadashi working on some project for one of his teachers, he'd been too busy to bring him to his lab. That and Hiro hadn't shown any tendency towards a bot fight, probably giving Tadashi a false sense of security._

_After a while, Hiro came across the sliding door that revealed the Portal area. He carefully slid it open enough to admit himself and his companion, before sliding it closed behind him. So far so good. He hadn't come across any signs that anyone else was there. Despite that, he couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. Something wasn't quite right._

_Baymax tilted his head as he watched his young charge. "Hiro?" he inquired softly, not wanting to startle him. It was obvious the teen was tense, his body prepared for instant fight or flight mode. He didn't even need his sensor to detect that. The boy's body language gave it away._

_Breathing accelerated, Hiro turned to look towards the two portals, one partially destroyed, the other intact. They were exactly where they should be. He turned towards the control room to his left and headed up the stairs leading to it. Why did he feel things were off? And what was off in the first place?_

_Upon entering the control room, he realized what it was as he stared in disbelief. Someone had come and gutted the control room. Everything of value was gone. But if all the equipment in there was gone, why was the Portal still there?_

_A sound, or maybe something out of the corner of his eye, caught his attention and he turned to face the observation window. What was that shadow he'd just seen duck out of sight? Or was it his imagination. "Baymax?" he asked, his tone far from certain._

_Baymax had moved to his side, also looking towards the observation window when something started to make a low beeping sound. What was it? He moved to scan the room, trying to determine the cause of the sound. "Oh no," he intoned as he located the cause._

_Hiro looked in the direction his companion pointed. A small red light flashed off and on with increasing speed as the noise built up in pitch and intensity. "Please don't tell me that's what I think it is!"_

_More than a little panicked now, Hiro turned to run for the door. There was nothing inside that room to shield him from the imminent threat. His best hope was to get out of that room and fling himself as far away as possible._

_Baymax seemed to have the same idea, only he moved to place himself between his charge and the bomb that continued to emit a high pitched wail that could only mean one thing. They had only a matter of seconds before the thing went to high heaven._

_Why hadn't he told someone where he was going, Hiro wondered for the briefest of moments as he dove for the still open doorway. Before he could even answer himself, a concussive blast threw him through the air, smashing him against the wall. Heat spread out like an inferno all around him. Except it wasn't just one blast._

_His ears registered not one, not two, but three blasts that threw even more devastation his way. Shredded metal tore through Baymax's armor, tearing his vinyl skin to pieces as he tried to shield his number one patient from the worst of it. But it wasn't enough as the flames continued to fly out from the chemical accelerants used in the bombs._

_Dark flames roared in a specified radius, not quite reaching halfway to the Portals on the other side of the vast chamber. All the same, the fire roared with an insatiable hunger to consume everything in its path, be it oxygen or flesh._

_The first thing Hiro realized, after the pain of slamming into the metal wall registered, was that he couldn't breathe, the oxygen literally snatched from the air by the roiling aftermath of detonation. The next thing he realized was that Baymax had been completely destroyed, fragments of his armor now piercing through him, pinning him to the wall as blood trickled from the wounds before being evaporated by the intense heat. The last thing he felt was the agonizing heat of the flames feeding hungrily on his body as he tilted his head back and tried to scream._

* * *

The noise of a hoarse sound that was half shriek half gasp woke James from a fitful slumber. He hadn't meant to fall asleep, but with taking care of the young boy and running around like a chicken with its head cut off, he'd worn himself out. But with the strangled sound coming from his detainee''s mouth, he couldn't help but jolt to his senses.

"What?! What is it?!" It took him a moment to realize the sound had come from Hiro's lips as he arched his small back as if in agony. "Not good! Not good!" This was not supposed to be happening! Something was definitely wrong with the little guy, and unless he did something about it, he doubted things would end well.

He still didn't trust going to a hospital. He knew an investigation would be launched. He'd been over that in his mind before. But there was a way around that. If he took the little guy to his parents right now, handed him off to them, they could get him the medical help he obviously needed.

James got to his feet and reached for the cleanest of the blankets in the room. Using it, he wrapped the little boy in it like a burrito, wondering if his move was really a good one. The little tyke was burning up like nobody's business. But it would make transporting him so much easier, especially if he had another accident.

Not bothering to worry about anything else, James hurried to the stairs, his precious burden held tightly in his arms as he all but flew down to the ground level. He almost dropped the boy at the bottom but managed to avoid that little debacle with a little rough handling that was surely better than being dropped. At least the child was no longer screaming, though his breathing was decidedly coming in shorter spurts, like an overused bellows near its limit.

"Come on," he admonished as he raced across the deserted floor. "Hang in there. I'm taking you home, okay? I'm taking you home so just hang in there!"

He had to kick the outside door open with one foot, which sent tinges of pain up his leg, but he ignored it. If he didn't get this kid somewhere where he could get help, he knew he'd regret it for the rest of his life.

* * *

The TARDIS shook violently as the two Doctors held onto the control panels. Q continued to cling to the railing, feeling more than a little sick as the space vessel turned, dipped, and whipped around like some mad carnival ride.

"Hold on!" the Doctor with the bow-tie yelled out as he reached for a lever and pulled it down. The ground stopped bolting like a young colt, but the spinning continued. "Almost there!"

The other Doctor looked at the console with total concentration as he held on for dear life. Though used to this, it was still unnerving, especially in a completely different design. "I sure hope you know what you're doing!" he called out.

With a few more drunken lurches, the TARDIS finally came to a standstill. "I'm going to be sick," Q warned as he put one hand to his mouth to stave off the expected vomit. Thankfully, it didn't come as his stomach settled back down to some semblance of normal. "Where have you brought me?" he demanded as he straightened his clothes and hair.

Almost hesitantly, the Doctor with the brown suit coat stepped away from the control panel and made his way to the short corridor leading to the door. "I do hope I got it right this time," he mused as he slowly ascended the two steps leading towards the exit. Following with equal care, the other Doctor was only a few steps behind.

"Won't someone answer me?" Q demanded as he moved to go after them. He marched towards the door as the two Doctors opened it and would have taken a step out had they not held him back.

"You don't want to set foot out there unprotected," the bow-tied Doctor admonished as he stared out. "Not even with the small safety bubble around the TARDIS."

Realizing he'd just been saved from doing something completely stupid, Q also looked out at the view in front of them. Undulating clouds of pastel color moved in slow motion, reminding him of a child's toy constantly being turned to change the overall image. And, interspersed around the whole area were tendrils of what looked to be dark matter. Except when he squinted to get a better view, he realized they were actually cracks slicing through the very fabric of whatever place they'd arrived in.

As the three stared out into the void, it became painfully obvious just how many cracks there were. Their expressions went from awe, to horror, to incredulous shock. "I had no idea it was this bad," the blue-clad Doctor admitted as he gently pulled the door closed. "How could we not sense something of this magnitude?"

His companion shook his head as he turned back to the main console. "I don't know," he admitted, sounding more than a little alarmed. "But did you notice that some of the cracks seemed to be getting smaller?"

"Would someone please tell me where we are?" Q demanded once more. "What is this place? And what's going on?"

The bow-tied Doctor turned to face the alien. "This is the space between Time and Space, otherwise known as the Void or the Rift. And what you saw out there should never happen. The universe is tearing itself apart and I have a good idea why."

Looking somewhat pensive, the other Doctor nodded. "Exactly what I'd begun to suspect. So here's what I think. All these cracks in the time space continuum are a result of Hiro's continued jaunts back in time, creating paradox after paradox. And with each one, it sent out tendrils of possibilities that shouldn't have existed."

"Effectively creating a ripple effect," the other Time Lord continued. "Hiro's repeated timelines broke the universe, but it was your energy," and he turned to face Q once more, "that brought it out in the open. Like glass in a tempered frame, it only needed the right force behind it to actually shatter."

Q stared at the two men like they'd lost their minds. "You can't blame this all on me! You saw for yourself, just as I did, that some of those cracks are coming back together. Something out there is reversing this so called shattering of the universe!"

The blue-suited Doctor nodded thoughtfully as he rubbed at his chin. "He's got a point. It does go along with that feeling we had earlier of things shifting. Despite the massive cracks in the very fabric of time, something is healing them."

"The question is what," his companion added as he stared thoughtfully towards the inner parts of the TARDIS. "And how does this all relate back to what's already happened? We already know it was Hiro who, unknowingly, created the initial effects we just witnessed. And it was Q's coming here that solidified them on a visual spectrum. But what is fixing them and why can't we sense what it is?"

Looking more than a little serious, his companion moved back to the control panels. "I don't know but I do suggest leaving this place before something else happens." He pressed a few buttons on the console before the other Doctor joined him.

"Of course you're right," the bow-tied Doctor agreed. "We must return to the others immediately and let them know what's going on. Until this situation is fixed, we can't send anyone back home, regardless of whether or not we return stolen energy to its rightful owner or not." He glanced briefly at Q before throwing the TARDIS back out of the Void.

* * *

Deanna couldn't help but look up from the dinner table as some very strong emotions washed over her. Her sudden change in demeanor caused her superior officer to look up as well. Her body tensed at the sudden onslaught and she almost cringed against the force.

"What is it?" Picard questioned, recognizing the expression on her face. He absently put down his fork, still covered with meat and sauce. Something was definitely wrong.

Not immediately answering him, Troi pushed her chair away from the table. "I sense some very powerful emotions drawing near," she admitted.

The others at the table seemed to straighten at her announcement, though Honey Lemon winced at the expression on the older woman's face. "It can't be coming from any of us," she reasoned as she looked around the table. They were all present and accounted for, minus the two Doctors and Q. And Hiro, who would likely remain missing for some time. "Who are you sensing?"

But the counselor shook her head. "I don't know. But I believe there are actually two distinct minds." She put a hand to her temple as if to stem a headache. "Whoever, or whatever it is, I believe it's coming closer."

At that precise moment, Baymax seemed to perk up. "Deanna Troi is correct," he announced as he moved towards the door. "I am still not certain, but I believe they are coming here. One individual is male and has elevated vital signs. I cannot accurately get details on the other individual. Something is interfering with my sensor."

Fred leapt from his chair, pushing away from the table in such a rush that his chair ground against the floor. "Do you think that could be Hiro?" His eyes went wide at the possibility. And, before anyone could say yes or no to that possibility, he had bolted for the main entrance.

"Fred! Wait up!" Wasabi called after his friend. "Where are you going?" He hastily excused himself and went after the mascot, Honey Lemon and GoGo right behind him. It didn't take long for the others to follow suit.

GoGo quickly caught up to her fellow hero, trying to rein him in. "Hey, Fred! Hold up! Just because Baymax sensed someone coming here doesn't mean it's Hiro!"

Her words stopped dead as the doorbell rang, followed by rapid pounding on the door. Almost out of nowhere, Heathcliff appeared to open the door. All eyes turned towards the doorway as he turned the knob and pulled it towards himself.


	39. Oh No

James probably ran two or three red lights as he sped onward in the car he'd stolen. Okay, if he was being truthful, it was probably more like ten or twenty, but who was counting? The little toddler had remained unresponsive as he swerved around traffic like a mad man. It was probably a good thing he'd thought to at least secure the boy with the seat belt in back, though it was a far cry from the usual safety restraining harnesses someone his size should have used.

At least the child wasn't screaming anymore. Once outside the warehouse, he'd gone as limp as a noodle in James' hands. After that, he hadn't really cared how many lights he ran, or who he ran off the road. He just hoped there were no cops out as he went about his mission of returning the young boy to his family, regardless of the consequences. If that power he'd felt only days before wanted to help him out, fantastic. But if not, so be it. He would take his medicine like a grown man. After he took a hit from some weed he'd found, to calm his nerves.

But, as he unbuckled the child and carried him up to the front steps, he couldn't keep his legs from shaking. His knees practically knocked together as he wondered just what would happen the moment he pounded on that door. There was no real turning back, though. Either way, he was in for trouble. It was best to just get it done and over with. So, shifting Hiro to lean against one shoulder, he marched as resolutely as he could up to the door and rang the bell. When that didn't produce any immediately results, he pounded on the door.

Looking rather like a deer in headlights, he stared as the door opened to reveal the chauffeur who'd driven the kid's mom and dad around. And behind him, a whole slew of people, including the brat's parents. He felt his knees go weak beneath him and he almost went down before the butler forcefully pulled him into the front foyer and closed the door.

Fred couldn't help but stare at the familiar mop of hair showing over the blanket bundle over the man's shoulder. "Who are you and why do you have Hiro?" he asked, getting into James' face. His eyes were uncharacteristically hard. He didn't know who this guy was, but he had a feeling there was decidedly more going on than he liked.

Before anyone could say anything else, Honey had taken Hiro from James' arms. "Oh no!" she whispered when she saw his state. "Baymax!" She turned almost fearfully to see if the healthcare bot was just behind them. She didn't miss the unmistakable smell of the weed on him, and only hoped the man hadn't tried to share.

James was in so much shock he didn't know what to do except stare with his mouth open. He blinked several times, trying to gather his thoughts but they wouldn't connect in his head. "I uh… I uh…"

"Perhaps it would be wise to take this man somewhere where he can gather his thoughts," Deanna suggested as she moved forward. She could feel the fear, confusion, dread, and some other emotion she hadn't expected to feel, concern. There was no doubt in her mind that this was the man who had held Hiro captive. But there was decidedly something off about him. and it wasn't just the smell.

GoGo strode up to the man in question and pulled back her arm to punch him but Heathcliff smoothly moved between them. "Allow me," he said in his clipped British accent. "With your permission, Master Frederick, I will take him to _that_ room."

Fred continued to scowl at the man in question, his teeth clenched. "Yes," he agreed, his voice just as hard, if not harder, than it was when he'd first addressed the man before him. His suddenly proper language gave GoGo a start as she stared at her mascot friend, momentarily forgetting she wanted to deck the stranger.

As all this transpired, Baymax waddled over to Honey Lemon and the unconscious Hiro. "Oh no," the robot intoned as he quickly scanned the unconscious tot. "We must take him for immediate medical treatment."

Looking more than a little alarmed, Honey turned and ran towards the back of the building. Even though there were stairs leading up in the front foyer, the staircase near the back of the house would be faster. It led directly to the section of the manor housing their command center. "Hang on, Hiro," she whispered as she ran with the small boy in her arms.

Baymax waddled as fast as he could behind them. When he didn't seem able to keep up, Data took matters into his own hands and easily lifted the healthcare companion, quickly catching up to Honey as she disappeared out of sight.

James continued to stare in shock as he realized just how much trouble he really was in. "It wasn't me! I didn't do anything!" he protested as Heathcliff took him by the collar and began to forcefully escort him towards a different section of the mansion.

"Allow me to accompany you," Worf announced as he joined the butler. The two of them lifted the struggling man on either side, keeping his feet from making contact with the ground, despite his kicking and now screaming voice.

Deanna watched as the three men disappeared. "He's lying," she said under the breath, causing the others to look her way. "He exudes too much guilt not to be involved."

Fred slowly turned to face the others. "Heathcliff will find out for us, one way or another," he said, his voice still devoid of almost all emotion. His expression caused even the counselor to flinch.

Almost fearfully, GoGo reached out a hand to touch Fred on the shoulder. She'd never seen this side of her friend before. And, honestly, it scared her a little. She couldn't help but remember part of their conversation from earlier, about how she couldn't stand to lose another friend, that Hiro was like her little brother. Nor Fred's reply that he felt the same way. Whoever this man was, he'd obviously crossed a line with the otaku and she wasn't sure what all that meant.

* * *

Honey pushed her way into the medical suite in the command center, her precious burden snugly in her arms. She felt only mild surprise to discover Data was right behind her, Baymax firmly in tow. With almost faltering heart, she gently placed the unconscious youth on the examination table and began to unwrap the blanket from around his tiny form.

The blanket was filthy, though she supposed it could have been worse. And when she finally removed the last fold, she couldn't help but stare in horror at the boy beneath. Whoever that guy was downstairs, he must have put Hiro in the oversized t-shirt he wore, but that article of clothing was decidedly damp and was even filthier than the blanket. "I'm going to get some clean clothes," she decided as she quickly hurried out of the room.

Data moved closer to the medical bed and looked down on its tiny occupant. "I believe Hiro's condition to be quite severe," he observed, though he wasn't entirely sure what he should do just yet. Chances were good Baymax would require his assistance, but since his knowledge of medical techniques were not consistent with the current time period, he hesitated to do anything without approval. He did, however, take out his tricorder and began to scan the boy in the hopes that it would reveal something, even though it wasn't created for medical purposes.

Baymax blinked at Data's comment. He'd already tried to contact Dr. Jones, with no result. Chances were good she was still involved in whatever mission she'd gone on when everything had started. He doubted she would be returning any time soon. That meant he had to take charge of the situation.

Since he'd only performed a basic scan downstairs, he turned to perform a more thorough one now. "You are correct in your assessment," he informed Data. "However, I am unable to make a definitive diagnosis. As such, we will have to treat each symptom individually."

Honey dashed back into the room with the diaper bag over her shoulder, a handful of washcloths in her hands. "I thought you might need these," she said, more than a little out of breath. She looked towards Baymax to see what he might say about her friend's condition. "How is he?"

Baymax hung his head slightly. "I do not know. His symptoms are typical of several different childhood diseases, without the telltale characteristics of either. However, I do detect a high level of energy around Hiro consistent with the energy previously observed throughout the city."

Data took charge of the bag she'd brought, placing it on one of the cots he'd set up for the purpose. "If you will allow me, I will change Hiro out of his current garments and into something more appropriate." When given the go ahead, he took the tot carefully into his arms and moved him over to the cot where he could clean him, change his clothes, and place a diaper over the boy's nether regions. Once complete, he returned Hiro to the examination table. "Should I summon anyone from downstairs?" he inquired.

Baymax stared intently at his patient for a moment before looking back up at the android. "Are you able to help with Hiro's medical care?" he inquired. He knew he wouldn't be able to do it alone and wasn't entirely sure how Honey would do with some of the required tasks, though her help would decidedly be needed as well.

The android took half a second to consider what was being asked of him. He wasn't a medical officer but somehow knew the robot would need assistance in ways his companions might not be able to provide. "I can try."

* * *

Picard scowled as he watched the man who'd just arrived being escorted away. There was something unsavory about that character and he wanted to know what it was. However, there were more pressing issues to attend to. Turning back towards the others still in the foyer, he couldn't help but feel the tension mounting.

Fred still stood, his back uncharacteristically ramrod straight, his eyes still hard as GoGo placed a hand on his shoulder. He didn't so much as acknowledge the touch, which was decidedly not a good thing. He'd seen that kind of behavior before and wasn't sure he wanted to know what might result if the mascot were to be pushed.

Counselor Troi glanced between the three heroes still present. The anger she felt coming from them was understandable. What surprised her, however, was the depth of the anger coming from Fred. She'd never have thought him capable such intense hostility. It was probably a good thing GoGo had placed a somewhat restraining hand on his body. "I think we all need to take a moment to calm down," she asserted. "I know everyone has good reason to be upset, but the important thing is that we have Hiro back. I'm sure everything else can be sorted out when we're all a bit more calm."

GoGo looked up into Fred's eyes, hints of fear echoing from their depths. "Trio's right," she affirmed. "We have Hiro back. We have the man responsible in custody. The best thing we can do right now is focus on helping Hiro."

Fred closed his eyes, his fists clenched at his sides. Slowly, he counted to ten in his head. This anger he felt was irrational and dangerous. And he'd never felt anything like it before, not even when they'd discovered Callaghan's involvement in Tadashi's death. He could now more fully understand why Hiro had lost it back then. This was personal, not that losing Tadashi hadn't been, nor the betrayal of the professor. While he could understand the anger from back then, he hadn't been able to relate to it, until now. Callaghan had never been one of his teachers or mentors. And Tadashi had been a friend. Hiro had become family. You didn't mess with family.

"I need some time alone," Fred announced as he let his shoulders sag. It took a force of will to make his body slump. The raw emotions still swarmed through him like an angry hill of fire ants. It was probably for the best that he find a place where he could cool down before facing anyone. Abruptly, he turned on his heels and headed away.

Deanna watched him leave, more than aware of the emotions running inside him. She glanced at GoGo, who's shocked expression surely mirrored that of Wasabi's, who stood behind Picard. She didn't turn to verify that, though she could feel the shock coming from his direction. She took a step forward, tapping GoGo lightly on the arm. "You should go after him," she counseled. "Give him some space to come to terms with his emotions, but don't let him dwell on them for too long. Out of all those present, I think you're the best person to help him with that."

GoGo gave a curt nod before striding after the slightly older man. She tended to agree with the counselor's words, though she wasn't sure just what she could do. If she were feeling what he obviously was, she knew she'd leave a path of destruction a kilometer wide behind her. And that would be before she tore apart that good for nothing kidnapper limb from limb.

Wasabi stared after his friends, not sure what to do now. The immediate crisis was over and he couldn't help but feel drained. He noted Deanna and Picard standing nearby, watching the departing individuals. And, for the life of him, he suddenly didn't know what he should be doing, which was decidedly disconcerting. "Um…" he hedged, looking far from certain.

Picard exhaled deeply as he turned at the sound, straightening his shirt by pulling at it. "Yes, well," he huffed, letting the pressure evaporate from within. "There doesn't seem to be much we can do at the moment," he observed. "If we go up and see what is happening with Hiro, I'm sure we would only be in the way. Worf seems to have things managed with our detainee, so what would you suggest we do, counselor?"

Deanna resisted the urge to press a hand to her temple. The volatile emotions from Fred were slowly fading as she closed off her senses, but it left a rather heavy feeling behind. With an effort, she put a smile on her face and turned towards the captain and Wasabi. "I suggest we finish our meal." With that, she strode back towards the dining room.

* * *

Hiro couldn't help but stagger back as he let go of the latest memory fragment as it solidified with the rest of his brain. His mental body broke out in sweat as he stared in shock. How could he not have remembered such an explosive death? It just wasn't possible.

Still in a state of total disbelief, his legs went out from under him as his chest rapidly rose and fell from the experience. His heart pounded so fast he was afraid it would burst. And the memory blissfully undulated in front of him as if it didn't have a care in the world.

He'd essentially been blown up, the shards of his robotic companion penetrating deeply into his body, despite his best attempts to protect his number one patient. And to have turned long enough to see the far too familiar kabuki mask as the dark clad man turned away with such disdain…. He still couldn't believe he'd ever looked up to the man. How, in all the long years, had this malice never come to the forefront? How had no one known it existed? It just didn't seem possible.

"Are you alright?" Tadashi's voice asked from just behind him. He could feel warm hands pressing against his shoulders as he just stared ahead, the light mirroring the last images in his mind over and over again.

Hiro licked dry lips, his throat feeling tight. "How could you not have known?" he said with a voice hoarse from his emotions. "How could you not have seen what Callaghan was really like?" He resisted the urge to turn towards his brother, a hint of accusation in his eyes, though it was quickly drowned out. He already knew the answer. He just didn't want to accept it.

Tadashi moved into view, one hand cupping his neck almost sheepishly. "I guess it's harder to see the monster within when one wears rose-colored glasses," he admitted. "Those we hold in high esteem seem more like gods in our eyes. And how could a god possibly be anything more than what we allow ourselves to see?"

"I'm tired," Hiro confessed as he felt his body slide closer to the ground. "So tired. And yet, there's still so much left to do, so many memories I haven't connected yet."

His brother moved to sit next to him. "It's alright, Hiro," he soothed as he drew his brother into his arms. "You can rest for a little while. But soon… soon you will have to try again, and again, and again, until it's done."

Almost nodding, Hiro closed his eyes. "Soon," he repeated. But for now, it just felt so nice to lie in his brother's arms one more time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Muwahahahahah! I hope you liked this one. Things will definitely "heat up" from here on out.


	40. Unable To Determine A Cause

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning.... Medical stuff up ahead. If that makes you squeamish... Well.... it's important to the story so either skip and miss or deal with it?

Under Baymax's careful instructions, partly from an illustrated guide presented on his stomach, Data managed to correctly insert an I.V. catheter into the back of Hiro's hand. Due to Baymax's enlarged fingers, he was unable to perform the procedure himself. And, with Honey's help, the android was able to finish the task without incident. Once inserted, the healthcare bot instructed him on how to attach the I.V. line, having him wrap the boy's hand in tape and gauze, using a small board to keep the limb immobile to keep the feed from becoming dislodged.

Data had discovered he could interface with the Wi-Fi network and essentially download the necessary data required to perform whatever Baymax requested of him. So while he understood that Baymax had provided guided illustrations for each procedure for his benefit, he did not need them. He did feel, however, that they were useful to Honey Lemon, who continued to assist him since they had been unable to contact Dr. Jones, whoever he or she might be.

Honey had only felt a little nervous with the whole process and felt more than a little relieved that all she had to do was hold Hiro's wrist in a certain position to make inserting the needle that much easier. She knew it was necessary, especially after Baymax's announcement that Hiro was severely dehydrated, along with realization that the toddler hadn't eaten in some time. Just how long, she didn't know, though she could make a guess.

"It is important for Hiro to receive nutrients in some form," Baymax informed both of his helpers. "I will need further assistance to insert a nasogastric tube through his nasal cavity down into his stomach. The other option is to introduce a gastrostomy tube directly into his stomach through his abdominal cavity. As I am uncertain how long Hiro will remain unconscious, I would prefer to start with the nasogastric tube. It is the less invasive of the two processes."

Accessing the necessary information on the two procedures, Data found he had to agree. Going for the first option, they were less likely to cause further complications with the young boy's health, something he felt sure they all wanted to avoid. Quickly looking around, he found the necessary equipment stored in various bins and drawers. One thing was certain, they kept a well-stocked trauma room. "I have accessed the necessary information to perform this procedure," he announced as he finished setting out the necessary equipment, making sure his hands were clean and gloved. "If it is all right with you, I will begin."

When Baymax gave his assent, the android instructed Honey to make sure Hiro's nasal passages were clear by using an aspirator, which essentially reminded her of the snot bulbs hospitals gave to new mothers, to suck up any mucus or other debris from within the nasal cavity. While she did this, he measured the required amount of tubing, marking the end. Then, he asked her to hold him upright so he could properly insert the tube. With a detailed, real-time visual of Hiro's internal structure; he fed the appropriate tube end down through the boy's nasal passage and to his stomach, something that he would have been unable to easily do otherwise while the boy was unconscious. Thanks to that visual imaging, he was able to avoid the potential of accidentally inserting the end of the tube down Hiro's trachea, something that would have caused more problems than they wanted to deal with at the moment. Once the tube was in place, he taped the exposed end down so it lay across Hiro's face and curled around his ear where it was less likely to get tangled or caught on something. That, and it was less likely it would become dislodged by any sudden movements or pulling on the tube.

"Thank you," Baymax said once everything was in place, inspecting the tape to determine if it would cause any undo discomfort to his young charge. Satisfied, he then asked Data to attach the tube to the necessary equipment to begin introducing nutrients back into Hiro's body. "I believe it would be wise to allow Hiro to rest for a while," he intoned once everything was set and sorted. He didn't want to overwhelm his patient's ability to cope by overdoing things. Aside from which, with the requisite nutrients entering Hiro's body, it was best to let him rest quietly to ingest the concentrated formula for at least an hour before doing anything else.

Honey had found a pillow to help elevate Hiro's head a bit so there was less risk of aspiration, though the robot did warn them both of the potential for vomiting, choking, coughing, or trouble breathing. But she felt certain he would be able to detect any trouble before it became a real issue. "He just looks so small and helpless," she confessed as she pushed back a loose strand of hair from her face.

The others had yet to come up and see what was going on. Perhaps they were waiting for word from one of them. Or something else had happened. Honey hoped that if something else had come up, they would at least send someone for them. So she figured the best thing to do was not worry about what they were doing and focus on Hiro. And with all the tubes now attached, along with several external monitors, outside of Baymax's constant observations, he just looked even smaller than his already tiny size. The robot had insisted the monitors be used, just in case he was called away to attend anyone else's injuries. If something changed, he would get an immediate alert as they'd connected the sensors to Baymax's systems via the Wi-Fi.

"I am still unable to determine a cause for his current symptoms," Baymax confessed as he stepped back to give his patient some air. "However, I do detect that his body temperature has decreased slightly, bringing it closer to his normal range." He felt somehow glad that they didn't necessarily need to introduce oxygen at this time, though it might become a possibility in the future.

Honey couldn't help but look hopeful at that information. "Maybe all he needs is rest," she hoped. At least there hadn't been any actual physical injuries they could detect, though she worried about the unexplained symptoms decidedly present. What could be causing them?

Data looked at the monitor indicating brainwave activity, more than aware that it was there for their benefit and not the healthcare robot's. "Brain activity has decreased as well," he reported. "Perhaps he has entered a more restive stage of sleep." The information relayed on the monitor seemed to indicate such might be the case. He could only hope his conjecture was accurate.

"I'm going to go let the others know what's going on," Honey decided. She stepped closer to Hiro for a brief moment, tracing one finger down his exposed cheek. "Hang in there, okay?" she whispered in his ear. Part of her wondered if things would have gotten this bad if he'd retained his original form but decided not to dwell on it. Chances were good his condition had nothing to do with being kidnapped, but something else none of them could currently comprehend. She took his tiny hand into hers and gave it a quick squeeze before turning and leaving the room.

* * *

GoGo followed Fred down one of the long hallways. It took her a moment to realize he was headed to the gym near the back of the house. She supposed it made sense. If it were her, she'd want to blow off some steam too. In fact, if he wasn't too upset, maybe she'd ask to join him, even with her recent injuries.

The gym was more of a combative-style room, with a few exercise machines off in one corner. The primary focus was on the use of either purely physical means or weapons of some kind. The heroes had spent many a day working on their skills in that room. There, Hiro had tried to teach some of them the basics of martial arts, though some were quicker to pick up on it than others. And those who didn't want to play that game tended to work on other skills. There was a ballet barre Honey Lemon used a lot near the back wall.

The adrenaline junky paused at the doorway as Fred strode purposefully into the room, heading towards one of the practice dummies. She watched as he balled his fists up as he stared at the training implement, not sure what his expression was due to his back facing her. Deanna had suggested she give him some time to let off the steam before going in to make sure he had someone to ground him again and that's what she intended to do. Besides, his current posture suggested he might not want anyone else around for what he was about to do.

Fred closed his eyes as he felt the emotions boiling inside him. They felt raw and hurt on many different levels. And behind those closed lids, he saw the image of Hiro's tiny body half slung over that creep's shoulder, as lifeless as a rag doll. He had no idea what was wrong with his friend but he doubted it was good. The chances that that creep had done something to Hiro were high in his mind. He knew that if Heathcliff had not intervened with his little suggestion, he would have let his anger explode out at that man until nothing was left in him.

Thinking about that, he felt his muscles tense up all over again. He purposely controlled his breathing, counting in and out five full seconds for each breath. The technique was supposed to help calm him but it wasn't working. The pain and anger were just too great. With a yell that could probably be heard all the way on the other side of the mansion, he unleashed his anger, frustration, fear, and pain on the practice dummy.

Fists flew with increasing agitation and furry, making the mannequin sway like a drunken sailor. And each hit was punctuated with a cry of emotion coming straight from Fred's heart. Legs flew out as skills he hadn't used in years came to mind. Tadashi had taught him some basic martial arts, though he'd already known several different styles of fighting. He could thank his dad for that, not wanting his son to become an easy target to those who preyed on the weak. And now that he knew his dad had been a super hero, he could understand why. He just hadn't used those skills in so long, preferring to play the happy-go-lucky pal who could calm any situation with his goofy sense of humor and energy. But not now.

After giving the dummy a thorough beating, Fred found his emotions hadn't abated. He blindly moved to the next obstacle, a punching bag several meters away. He let his fists fly once more, pummeling the bag as though it were that man who had taken Hiro from them. He'd take out every possible organ he could, hit every nerve ending, and keep going long after the man had called out for mercy.

With each punctuation of force, there was that cry of "hya!" or something similar. Grunts of pain and exertion followed as he continued to drain his body of all the emotion and energy, packing every bit into each punch until it was all gone. And, finally, when he felt nothing but empty inside, he sank to his knees, arms dangling uselessly at his sides, as limp as Hiro had been in those creeper's arms. He tilted his head upwards as the last vestiges of his emotions escaped in a noise so raw and primal; it would have shocked any other member of their group.

Hearing that sound, GoGo couldn't help but relate. How many times had she felt that desolation of feeling deep down? And how many times had she wanted to give voice to that anguish but couldn't? No wonder she felt such a connection to him. Though opposite in so many ways, their essential nature was the same.

GoGo realized the worst was over when she saw Fred lower himself to the ground, his thighs resting against his calves. Slowly, she moved towards him as the sob that had torn his throat open slowly subsided to silent tears. His initial outburst had startled her. She'd be lying if she said otherwise. Who knew he felt such a depth of emotion to the point he'd lose it like that? But, once the shock was over, she understood why.

Fred's shoulders shook with emotion as he stared blindly ahead, unseeing, totally lost after the heat of his anger had left him. At first he didn't realize someone else was in the room. It took him several long minutes to realize that same someone had approached him, wrapping comforting arms around his body so that his head rested against that person's shoulder, their arms holding him as if they never wanted to let go.

Slowly, he came back to himself, sniffling as his nose threatened to run onto his companion's shirt. He knew, by the smell of the shampoo, who had joined him. There could be no other person. And the short, black hair and slight but athletic build confirmed it. He couldn't help but let his body slump against hers in exhaustion, his arms still hanging down at his sides. He wasn't sure he could move them, even if he wanted to.

It took GoGo a moment to realize Fred's emotions had fully run their course as his weight increased against her, but she didn't let go. She needed this just as much as he did and she secretly thanked Deanna for suggesting she go after him. Her eyes didn't tear up, though they did mist over a little. With a bit of a smile, she moved one hand to run her fingers through his hair. "You know," she whispered into his ear, "If you wanted to fight someone that badly, you could have always asked me."

Realizing what she was offering, Fred found the strength to lift his arms to return her embrace, pulling her as close as he physically could, his head still pressed against her shoulder. He didn't ever want to move again, not so long as he could stay in this moment with her. "Thanks," he whispered back, knowing she'd understand exactly what he meant.

* * *

By the time the TARDIS returned to the manor, it was dark out, and likely had been for some time. "You silly thing!" the bow-tied Doctor admonished his vessel. "Why couldn't you have brought us back earlier?"

The other Doctor merely looked on. The TARDIS usually knew what she was doing and when and where it was best to send them. If she thought now was the best time, then so be it. "If you're done berating her, perhaps we should go inside? There are some very important things we need to share with the others," he reminded.

Q moved to exit the TARDIS, swaying a bit as his feet touched the concrete of the driveway. He shook his head as a wave of dizziness filled him. "What in the world?" he exclaimed as things settled back down to normal. He'd never felt anything like that before and it left the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.

Both Doctors exited the TARDIS, sonic screwdrivers out at his exclamation as they, too, felt a sudden sense of disorientation that was just as quickly dispelled. "Energy's spiked," the bow-tied Doctor observed as he looked at his companion. "Something's changed."

The other Doctor shook his head. "It's not just a spike," he contradicted. "More like the energy's gathering around this area. But I agree, something definitely has to have changed. Let's go before something else happens."

Taking his hint, they all strode towards the door nearest the garage. It wasn't the usual back entrance, as this one came out closer to the servants' wing of the mansion. They were all surprised to see Heathcliff exiting a room none of them had seen in use before. "I say," the bow-tied Doctor called out as the butler turned to head further in. "Do you know what's going on?"

Heathcliff turned to face the small party. "Ah, you have returned," he said in his typical clipped manner. "I believe you will be wanted upstairs." With that, he turned on his heels and continued forward to whatever destination he'd had in mind before being interrupted.

"What was that all about?" Q complained as he watched the butler walk away. "He definitely knows a lot more than he's telling us!"

The blue-clad Doctor just shook his head. "Good luck getting it out of him though," he commented, knowing all too well how difficult that would be. Heathcliff didn't divulge any more to anyone than he felt necessary. And that apparently included what events might have recently changed. "You heard the man," he continued after a slight pause. "They're expecting us upstairs." He strode ahead of the others, heading for the staircase leading directly to the command center. Something told him that's where the butler meant for them to go.


	41. I'm Sorry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Okay this one needs a slight word of explanation. Yes, this is another short one. It had to stand alone. You're going to hate me when you read it though. I know you will. But trust me when I say you will understand why I did it. I hope. Oh it will be kind of "in and out" in perspective as there is "lost" time going on as Hiro dips in and out of consciousness. )

 

_Hiro could hear something that sounded like either sirens or incessant beeping all around him but he couldn't see anything. It was pitch black, as though he were in a room completely cut off from the rest of existence. Except that wasn't right. He knew it wasn't. But why couldn't he see anything?_

_The soft sound of air moving in his lungs echoed in his mind. Whoosh. Shh…. Whoosh. Shh… Whoosh. Shh…. His throat tickled and he tried to resist the urge to cough. Why was his throat so dry? Or was it something else? Now that he thought about it, he could feel something pressing against the inside of his throat, like a thick tube. Why was that there? He couldn't help but feel his heart constrict with panic, not understanding what was going on. And with that, the sound in the background increased dramatically, an alarm sounding._

_"Shh," a soft voice soothed as the area behind Hiro's eyelids brightened slightly. Unfortunately, the increase in light hurt. Then the most uncomfortable feeling filled his lungs as he heard something like a low level vacuum being used. He couldn't resist the urge to cough, his oxygen supply suddenly a lot thinner than it had been only moments before. The sound was horrible.  
_

_Someone was gently holding his wrist. At least it felt like someone was holding his wrist. His whole body felt weird, like it was stuffed inside a sausage skin. Except that he couldn't feel anything on or around his chest. Everything else, however, tingled painfully, though no one area seemed worse off than any other. Except for when he coughed. Thankfully, whatever was happening to him was of short duration as oxygen flooded his lungs once more._

_Voices came in and out of focus, though he couldn't understand a single word any of them said, outside of the occasional encouragement. And the light seemed to flicker behind his closed lids. Whether this was because time passed in odd stretches or because someone was just playing with the light was anyone's guess. Hiro had no idea._

_When it was pitch dark in his thoughts, he thought he heard Tadashi's voice telling him to hang in there and asking him why he'd decided to be so reckless. Only he couldn't remember anything that would warrant such a berating. His existence was the soft whoosh of breathing, the beep of something in the distance, the cold feel of something covering his skin like a constraining second layer, though he was sure it wasn't supposed to feel that way. Why did it feel that way?_

_Then there came one of the most uncomfortable moments he could remember to this point. He felt something being slid out of his throat, rubbing against the sensitive lining. It made him cough and gag a bit, but once the sensation stopped, he found he could breathe. And with that realization, his eyes opened for the first time, though he flinched against the soft light filtering down on him._

_"Continued oxygen treatment through less invasive ventilation," someone was saying, though his eyes wouldn't focus enough to figure out who was talking. But he felt something soft and rubbery being placed against his nose and mouth, sending fresh oxygen down into his lungs in a way so dissimilar to previous means that he couldn't immediately figure out what was going on. "Many of his burns will require more extensive grafting once he's stabilized further. However, forty percent of the burns seem to be healing on their own. We'll have to wait and see about the rest."_

_Is that what had happened? He'd somehow gotten burned? But he couldn't remember how or when. And when he tried to talk, his eyelids drooped, his throat feeling raw as he coughed. "What's wrong with me?" he managed between haggard breaths._

_Soft fingers lightly caressed his face, though he still couldn't tell who was there. Though his eyes had somewhat adjusted, the light was still too low for him to see much of anything. "It's going to be okay," a familiar feminine voice assured him. "You're going to be okay."_

_Whatever else the woman might have said was lost in a sea of exhaustion. Keeping his eyes open was so tiring and he felt himself slipping back into the inky void he'd woken up in. Maybe someone had introduced something into his system to make him sleep. Maybe he just couldn't handle what was happening to his body. Either was possible. He had no answers, just the blissfulness of oblivion._

_Hiro woke to intense pain, neurons firing off as his skin was exposed to the elements. He gasped and his body tensed as someone dabbed something on his overly sensitive skin. He tried to flinch away but that brought on a fresh wave of agony as his back pressed too forcefully against the mattress behind him. At least he didn't feel the soft rubber against his face anymore, though there was something attached to his nose. He just couldn't reach up his arms to touch it. And he felt hot, so very hot. Shouldn't he be sweating?  
_

_"Hey," a soft voice soothed on one side. "It's going to be okay."_

_This was not the same voice as before. This one was masculine and made tears prick at his eyes, but it was one he decidedly recognized. "T-tadashi?" the word escaped his lips before he could even register what it meant. It had taken him a moment to connect the images before him with the fragments of his memory, mostly because Tadashi wore a mask over his face and had on a gown of some kind over his usual clothes. At least Hiro assumed he was wearing normal clothes underneath it. The pants looked funny though.  
_

_The resulting silence his confusion created was filled with a soft chuckle. "Good morning, bonehead," his brother greeting, gently ruffling his hair. "I wondered when you'd wake up."_

_Hiro resisted the urge to arch his back as more soft pressure was applied to one of his legs. The cloth was cool and soothing but also caused his pain sensors to fire off. "What happened?" he gasped, his breath a little short. Part of him said he should be shivering but maybe it was more because his legs twitched with the nurse's ministrations.  
_

_"Deep breaths," Tadashi encouraged. "They're just changing your bandages, and making sure your body heals." He idly played with Hiro's hair, a fond expression on his face, though there was the hint of worry still deep in his eyes. He exuded a sense of calm that almost seemed forced._

_It took Hiro a moment to realize something was wrong. There was something different with his brother. There was a large bandage on one cheek, his left hand partially covered in gauze. And his hair was much shorter now. In fact, it looked like someone had shaved his head. "What happened to you?" But despite these observations, he doubted that was why he felt a sense of impending dread. It was almost as though he expected something bad to happen.  
_

_Tadashi let out a sigh as heavy as all his combined years could produce. "Not nearly as much as happened to you, though I did try to prevent it from happening. It just didn't work all that well."_

_His answer was no real answer at all and Hiro couldn't help but feel let down. "No. what_ happened _to_ you _?" The emphasis he used on the last word almost made him cough, but he managed to suppress it. He didn't want to alarm his brother, which would likely effectively shut him up.  
_

_The older Hamada ran his hand across the back of his neck, wincing slightly. The skin there was still healing. "Don't you remember? Any of it?"_

Don't you remember? _Those words sent a tumble of images and emotions into Hiro's mind._ Flames. Explosions. Desperation. He had to find someone, to stop them from doing something really stupid _. But why couldn't he remember?_

_"At the showcase," Tadashi reminded. "You presented your project, which surpassed Callaghan's and my expectations I might add." There was a hint of pride in those words, though it seemed to diminish with the next sentence. "We'd gone over to the bridge by the lab when the fire alarm at the showcase went off."_

_Hiro could almost picture himself as he awkwardly leaned against the arched railing of the bridge, all bravado as he imitated his brother, only to have him tease him about his fly being down. Then the sound that had changed everything blared into the night. But hadn't he just waited for his brother on the steps of the building? Deciding, only at the last minute, to go after him into the flames? That didn't explain how he'd ended up in his current state. Unless he was somehow wrong about what had happened._

_"When we got to the building, we discovered someone was still inside," Tadashi continued. "I went to go in and you tried to hold me back. But I couldn't let someone go without help so I pushed in anyway, expecting you not to follow. Except you did."_

_Wait._ What _? Hiro couldn't remember any of that. The monitor next to them increased in tempo as he tried to process what his brother had just told him. It wasn't by much, but just enough that he could hear the difference. He lifted his hands into view, only to realize that not only were they covered with white gauze, but that his arms were as well. What was going on? He felt so hot. Why was it so hot? Hadn't he been cold just a little while ago?  
_

_Tadashi seemed to sense the subtle change as well as he paused, almost as if debating on continuing, but he somehow sensed his brother needed to know. "I was able to avoid most of the flames inside, but, as soon as I realized you'd followed me in, I couldn't focus on the other person who was still in there. I had to get_ you _out. You got caught in one of the smaller explosions, crying out in pain. If you hadn't, I wouldn't have known you were there. I tried my best to get to you, to cradle you in my arms as I ran for the exit. And just as we almost made it out, everything exploded."_

Flames all around, climbing up the walls, eating the ceiling. An acrid smell in the air, robbing him of breath. The taste of chemicals in his mouth. _Why had he gone in there again? That's right, to save Tadashi, to keep him from dying again._ Again _?_

_"Over seventy percent of your body was burned," Tadashi continued. "Your chest and arms were the worst. Your legs were burned as well, though not quite as badly. Somehow, most of your face was protected, though we may never know how."_

_How? How had it ended up like this? But, in the long run, wasn't it better this way? He'd accomplished what he'd set out to do. He'd saved Tadashi from the fire, even if he'd put himself in danger instead. Tadashi was alive. That's what counted. Except something was wrong. He could sense it. What was it?_

_"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you," Tadashi continued, as if there hadn't been a pause at all. "I should have listened to you and stayed with you outside. I knew the fire was too big for anyone inside to survive. I'm sorry."_

_Why did everything feel so surreal? Like this was just a dream, that he was floating instead of lying there? And why was Tadashi sorry? Hiro tried to shake his head but couldn't. "Don't be sorry," he said, though it took a great deal of effort to say it. It almost felt like the air was as thick as the molasses Aunt Cass used to make her gingerbread.  
_

_But then he focused back on his brother as a small sound caught his ears that he'd never expected to hear. Was Tadashi crying? Tadashi never cried. What had caused that? But it couldn't be denied. Hiro could see the water dripping from the corners of his eyes._

_"I'm sorry, Hiro," Tadashi said again, his voice choking up his words. "I should have listened to you when we were outside the showcase building. If I had, none of this would have happened._ __I'm so sorry._ "_

_Then realization hit like an asteroid plummeting to earth. What an odd thought that was. The heart monitor was going off like crazy, his heart thudding in his chest like a hummingbird's. And, now that he thought about it, his breath seemed to come less easily, almost as if he had to force it. There was an odd sort of chill in his bones despite the heat that filled the rest of his body. The nurse who'd been bandaging his legs had moved to the IV stand at the head of the bed, a syringe in her hand. What was that for?  
_

_The door opened from the hallway as a small arsenal of doctors and nurses rushed into the room, all in masks and gowns. One of them touched Tadashi on the shoulder. "You need to leave," he told him. "Now."_

_It took Hiro a moment to process what was going on as the man tried to lead his brother away. "No!" he screamed, his throat raw from the sound. "NO! I want Tadashi! Tadashi! TADASHI!" He tried to thrash around, arms holding him as gently but firmly as they dared. But he'd expounded more energy with his outcry than even he cared to admit. Instead, his body was wracked with hoarse coughing as phlegm caught in his throat._

_"We need to keep him calm," another voice spoke up, its owner gently nudging Tadashi back to his place at his brother's side, though out of the way of the equipment they'd brought in. The other doctor didn't protest.  
_

_Tears rolled down Tadashi's visible cheek and were just as quickly absorbed by the mask he wore over his nose and mouth. His eyes were red from them. "It's going to be okay," he soothed his brother, running one hand across his rumpled hair like he had so many times while growing up. "Everything's going to be okay."_

_All around him, Hiro could hear and see the flurry of activity, though his mind refused to acknowledge or even fathom what was going on. Someone had placed an oxygen mask against his face as his eyes lost their focus. He could feel the change as the air practically forced its way into his nose and mouth. His heart felt like it would burst with how fast it was pounding. His entire body ached with a fire burning him from the inside out. Except for the chill that was at odds with everything else, a chill that felt somehow safe and peaceful. But, all through that, he could still feel the pressure of Tadashi's hand on his head, even though it was getting harder and harder to focus. "Ta…da…shi….." he managed from behind the mask._

_"I'm still here," Tadashi assured him, now pressing his hand firmly against Hiro's head, just above his ear, as if the extra pressure was somehow needed. As if Hiro wouldn't be able to feel it without that extra bit of pressure. And maybe he wouldn't have. "I'll always be here," he whispered as the tears rolled freely, his breath hitching in his throat. "Always."_

_Hiro tried to reach for his brother's hand, somehow managing to make contact with it before all of the monitors went silent in his ears, his body suddenly feeling light. The last thing he remembered was hearing Tadashi's cry of denial as it filled the room._


	42. Give Him the Best Chance

"Heart rate has increased dramatically," Baymax announced as the monitor alarm went off. "I detect elevated temperature and swelling of the brain."

"Brain activity has increased as well," Data reported as he watched the EEG machine spit out its readings. "Blood pressure reaching unsafe levels." Without need for a prompting, he turned to one of the cabinets lining the room and pulled out a vial and syringe. "I am administering 20cc of verapamil." He measured out the correct amount and injected it into the IV line. Hopefully it would help reduce Hiro's more than rapid pulse.

Several long moments followed before Hiro's heart rate began to slow down to a more acceptable range, his blood pressure following, though his temperature remained high. As an added precaution, Baymax had placed an oxygen mask over Hiro's nose and mouth. But, as the medication took full effect, the boy's vitals began to stabilize further.

At that exact moment, both Doctors strode into the room, each with an expression mirroring shock, concern, and dismay. "What's going on?" the bow-tied Doctor asked as he eyed the activity before him. At least one thing was obvious, Hiro had been returned to them, but apparently under less than ideal circumstances.

"What's wrong with the young whelp?" Q asked as he crowded in behind them. He could feel a greater sense of energy floating about the room, though he wasn't sure why.

Baymax looked up from his ministering. "I do not know," he confessed. "Hiro's physical state has somehow become compromised and I am unable to perform an accurate diagnosis."

The blue-clad Doctor pushed forward, pulling out his sonic screwdriver, which he used to scan the distraught youth. "This is impossible," he said, his eyes mirroring his immense confusion.

His companion pressed forward, also pulling out his sonic as he followed his predecessor's actions. "Absolutely impossible," he agreed as he looked up at his older incarnation with concern. "This should not be happening."

Data looked up at that as Baymax returned his attention to his patient. "Please explain what you mean," he requested. "You seem to have information we lack at this time."

"Do you know what is wrong with Hiro?" Baymax added as he noted the boy's further stability. Whatever had happened seemed to have either reversed itself or been countered by the medication the android had administered.

The two Doctors exchanged looks with each other once more before the newer one spoke up. "We have a theory, though I'm sure you won't like it." He glanced around the room to measure the various reactions of those around him. He continued, almost reluctantly. "It is entirely possible that Hiro is being affected by the intensity of the energy that seems to be collecting in this area."

Hearing that, Data pulled out his tricorder and scanned the area. He looked up with a puzzled expression on his face. "The Doctor is correct," he confirmed. "The concentration of energy in this area has increased significantly."

Baymax blinked. He'd detected the change, though he'd been too busy trying to stabilize his patient to give it too much thought. "I have a theory as well," he admitted. "It is entirely possible that what has been previously said is correct. Hiro has somehow become a magnet for the energy displaced when Q and his people entered our dimension. However, that does not explain the symptoms Hiro is exhibiting."

The blue-clad Doctor nodded and moved his hand to his chin as he thought about it. "You're absolutely right," he agreed. "But, what if there's another explanation. While we were gone, we took the opportunity of visiting the Rift and discovered it riddled with cracks. What if Hiro created several paradoxes when he went back and repeated his time line over and over again? And, what if each paradox created a slew of alternate realities?"

Data quirked his head to one side at that idea. "Are you suggesting that by Hiro going back in time and repeating events, he has essentially created these cracks in the Rift? While I am not sure how probable such an assertion is, I grant that it is theoretically possible."

"He's not just suggesting it," Q spoke up. "Somehow this child has managed to break the time/space continuum." He couldn't help but look at the toddler with a new depth of respect. It took a lot to do something like that, a great deal of power, potential obsession, and, in some ways, stupidity. But he supposed he could overlook that aspect, given the circumstances. "But didn't you say those cracks were slowly healing?" he asked the Doctors.

The newer Doctor nodded slowly. "We did. In fact, just now, I could feel another crack closing." He looked thoughtful as he contemplated this new variable. "By any chance, did Hiro's brain activity spike just now?"

Baymax contemplated the data he'd recorded before answering. "Yes, his neurotransmitter levels also increased dramatically before returning to a more stable level."

The other Doctor stared at his companion, hands now in his pockets. "Are you suggesting what I think you are? Because if you are, that complicates things a bit."

His question was confirmed with a nod. "That's exactly what I'm thinking. For whatever reason, it is entirely possible Hiro is reconnecting the neural synapses his mind severed once he started this timeline. He's reintegrating all of his past timelines into his sub consciousness. And, for whatever reason, it's healing the cracks they originally created in the universe."

* * *

Honey Lemon found Wasabi, Picard, and Deanna in the dining room, where they'd gone to finish their meal. Though the sight that met her was far from typical. Each member there seemed to be picking at their food in a distracted manner, as if none of them really had the heart to eat when there were too many unknowns floating above them.

Honey cleared her throat to announce herself. "Um," she said as she edged further into the room, all eyes turning towards her. "We've managed to stabilize Hiro," she announced. "At least for now. Baymax didn't detect any physical injuries so whatever is wrong with him has to be something else."

Wasabi let out a slight sigh of relief. At least that kidnapper guy hadn't actually physically hurt their leader. But that still didn't explain what else was going on. "Is he going to be okay?" he asked.

Deanna observed Honey as the Latino shook her head. She sensed a turmoil of emotions coming from her, including a sense of relief, lingering fear and confusion. "She doesn't know," she answered for her. "Perhaps it's too soon to tell."

Honey nodded. "All we know for sure is he's dehydrated and probably hasn't eaten since he was taken from here. Baymax has him on an IV and feeding tube to try and correct that. Data's still up there with him. And when I left, he was resting comfortably."

Picard stood from his seat, straightening his clothes. "Did they need any assistance?" he inquired, though part of him felt a little squeamish about volunteering. Medicine wasn't his thing, though he could decidedly appreciate its application.

"I don't think so," Honey said with a shake of her head. "I just wanted to let you know." She blinked a few times as she just stood there. "Um… has anyone heard anything about the kidnapper? I don't know what you did with him but did he give you any information that might be useful?"

The captain exchanged glances with Deanna, realizing Honey hadn't been there when Heathcliff and Worf had taken the man off to some room. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I don't know. But Worf is looking into the matter. He and Fred's butler are detaining the man somewhere on the grounds."

Honey nodded at that, swallowing hard. Thinking about what Hiro must have gone through made her stomach churn. She couldn't even begin to guess what it must have been like, the fear, the confusion, among other things. "Maybe Fred will know," she ventured. "Do you know where he went?"

Again, everyone seemed to exchange glances, Wasabi looking the most nervous of the group. "We have no idea," he finally confessed. "He was so upset I honestly thought he was going to pummel the man to death, but then Heathcliff stepped in. After that, he went off somewhere to let off some steam. GoGo should be with him though."

Not sure if she hunt down her two friends or not, Honey hesitated. "Maybe one of us should check on Heathcliff and Worf," she suggested.

Deanna moved from the table and towards the distraught girl. "I'll go see what's going on with them," she assured. "You should get something to eat." Her hand lightly touched Honey's shoulder before she headed out the door.

Picard watched her leave, his expression grim. "The only thing the rest of us can do now is waiting and see what happens," he said.

Honey knew he was right but it didn't stop the emotions running through her. She just hoped everything would work out in the end.

* * *

After what felt like forever, but was actually only half a dozen minutes, Fred gently pulled away from GoGo. Having her hold him, just to comfort him, had helped more than pummeling any of the practice dummies in the room. He resisted the urge to wipe his nose on his sleeve. One, that was just gross, and two, it would likely disturb the bandage still on that particular protrusion.

GoGo leaned back as he disengaged his arms from around her chest, an almost wistful smile on her face. "I'm always here for you, you know," she admonished gently. "You don't have to keep it all to yourself."

Fred couldn't help but let out a half laugh. It was exactly what they'd all told Hiro on so many occasions. He'd never thought someone would tell him the same thing. "Yeah," he said, looking a bit sheepish as he glanced over at the destroyed fighting dummy. "Good thing it takes a lot to get me to that point."

The snort that left GoGo's lips shocked him and he looked at her questioningly as she erupted into gales of laughter, falling back against the mat as she did. Feeling more like his usual self, he placed both hands on his hips and gave her an admonishing look. "Well, it's the truth," he asserted.

But his words only seemed to increase GoGo's laughter. "You should see your face!" she quipped as the mascot just stared at her. He'd never seen this side of her before and wasn't sure what to make of it. "I admit," she continued, wiping away laughter tears, "I never expected you to react that way, but it gave me a better perspective on just how deep you really are." By the end of her speech, however, she'd managed to regain control enough to let out a deep sigh.

Fred watched her a bit warily as she lay back against the mat, her face lined with a silly kind of smile. "I've never been that mad before," he confessed. "I just... I really wanted to hurt that guy."

GoGo sat up, propping herself up with one elbow. "I know. So did I. But you didn't. That's what makes you such a strong person."

In an almost comedic manner, Fred flexed his arm muscles, giving her a mischievous smile similar to the one he'd used back when he'd introduced the idea of Krei being the masked man all those months ago. "I do work out," he reminded, his expression returning to his more normal goofy grin.

Their playful banter was interrupted when Heathcliff cleared his throat, announcing his presence. "Master Frederick," he said, "I came to inform you of the Doctors' return." His message delivered, he promptly turned and left the room.

The two heroes glanced at each other before scrambling back to their feet. "Uh, guess we'd better go see what's going on," Fred hedged as he moved so GoGo could go first. "And see how Hiro's doing."

GoGo nodded, giving voice to her agreement as she headed after the butler, Fred right behind her.

* * *

Deanna somehow managed to make her way around the less familiar parts of the manor. The back wing wasn't typically explored by most visitors and so she hadn't really had the chance to see much in that particular area. However, going off of her senses, she was able to locate the general area where Worf and the butler were keeping their unusual guest. And, after a few wrong doors, she found the right one.

"I came to offer assistance," she admitted when Worf answered the door, his expression showing confusion at her intrusion. "Perhaps I can help bring the truth into the light?"

Deciding it was probably not a bad idea, Worf invited her in. And, seeing as there were two there who could and would get to the bottom of the matter, the butler decided to leave them to it. The Klingon watched as Heathcliff left before ushering Deanna further into the area, which actually was in two parts, divided by a wall with an open door. "In here," he instructed.

The counselor entered the second area only to notice their detainee had been tied to a chair that sat in the middle of the room. "Was this really necessary?" she inquired of her companion. She could feel the fear of this man washing over her like a tidal wave.

"We did not want to offer the opportunity to escape without receiving the answers we require," Worf countered at her outburst. "It was the butler's idea."

At least they hadn't done anything to torture the man, she realized. That was something, at least. "I'm Counselor Troi," she introduced as she stared at the man in question. Slowly, so as not to spook him further, she moved to undo the ropes binding him to the furniture. "If you promise not to run, I'll untie you. I know there is more to your story than what appears on the surface and I want to help you in any way I can."

She purposely kept her voice soothing, wishing she had a few meditation crystals or means to produce a calming white noise in the background, but she didn't. Instead, she continued on the same line of reassurance and warmth in her voice. "No one is going to hurt you. We just want to know what happened to Hiro and why you took him."

James couldn't help but cringe as this woman approached him. The other two males who had confronted him earlier were decidedly not so gentle and he wasn't sure if he could believe this façade or not. "I didn't want to do it," he stammered as she began to untie the ropes binding him. "I really didn't! It wasn't my idea!"

Deanna finished untying him, casting the ropes to one side as the man continued to tremble. "Why don't you tell me whose idea it was," she suggested, extending a hand to show she wasn't going to do anything to him. "Were you coerced into doing it?"

James shook his head. "I don't know! I don't know, okay?!" He grabbed at his head and shook it. Everything seemed so jumbled up inside that he wasn't sure if it had been his idea or not. "All I know is there was this voice that whispered in my head. It wanted me to take him! I swear I don't know why! I swear!"

Sensing he might be close to his limit, Deanna backed up just a little, giving him more space. She noticed he was looking fearfully at her Klingon companion. Turning to him, she gave him a reasonable half smile. "Why don't you go find Mr...?"

"James," James supplied for her. "My name's James."

"Why don't you go find James something to drink," she suggested. "I'm sure he's quite thirsty right now." She gave Worf a pointed look to show she was serious in her request. "Don't worry. Nothing will happen while you're gone. I'll be fine. Won't I, James?"

The man continued to shake, not sure if this was a good thing or not. He wasn't entirely sure what to make of her tone of voice. Was it threatening? Not really. But there was definitely something more to it than just a casual suggestion. "I won't do anything," he promised, swallowing hard. "But I could use a drink." He just doubted they'd give him the kind he really wanted.

* * *

Baymax stared at the two Doctors, or at least seemed to. It was never easy to tell where the robot was focusing, especially since his eyes weren't like most humans' were. "If what you are telling us is accurate, it would stand to reason that the physical symptoms Hiro is exhibiting are a direct result of this process of reintegration."

Data found he had to agree. "It makes sense, especially when paired with the information already available. Perhaps the spikes of brain wave activity indicate cycles of reintegration. It would also explain the change in his other vital signs. Theoretically, to fully reintegrate each memory, he would have to at least mentally relive each moment, experiencing every aspect as the synapses reconnect. Am I correct?" He glanced back at the two Doctors for confirmation.

The blue-clad Doctor rocked back and forth on his heels as he contemplated it. "It does seem accurate. The real question, though, is just how many memories has he reconnected? And how many more does he have to go?"

"There's no real way of knowing," his companion added. "However, we do know at least five alternate time-lines were created. And there's also the possibility of there being more. We don't know when the Makt brought you in to try and help guide him into making the right choice." He stared pointedly at the robot. "Is there anything else you can recall from that incident? Anything at all that might help?"

Baymax accessed his memories, trying to comply with the Doctor's request. Before he'd come online in one of the Hiro's time loops, he did have data suggesting he had conversed with the Makt, though the data seemed fuzzy. Perhaps it was a result of being in too close a proximity with such high energy levels. "I do not recall them mentioning any previous time lines prior to the original one," he finally answered. "I am sorry I am unable to give more information on that subject."

The blue-clad Doctor gave him a pat on the arm. "It's alright. It was worth a try. It does leave us with few options though. Since the process has already begun, and may have begun some time ago, it's unwise to stop it now."

Q strode forward. He knew a great deal about a lot in the universe, though this, for once in a long time, was over his head. "Why would it be unwise to stop it? It's obviously causing him distress. He's pretty much useless in this state. And if he really is the magnet you say he is for my energy, he'll need to regain consciousness at some point so we can collect it and return it to where it belongs."

Data shook his head at this line of thought. "I do not believe Hiro is in any state to collect anything," he countered. "While it is true his body has absorbed some of the energy collecting around us, I do not believe his current form is capable of holding all the energy at one time. It would be counterproductive."

"What he said," the bow-tied Doctor agreed. "Unless we can find a way to return him to his original age naturally, we may have to consider other alternatives. I have the feeling that, just like with the Makt, your energy will need to use Hiro as a sort of holding tank until it can be returned to you. In his current state, that kind of energy would only burn him up like a dying star. Besides, the priority right now is for him to be able to focus on reintegrating those memories. Remember, they're somehow connected to the cracks in the universe. And if those aren't fixed, more bad things might happen. Worse than you can imagine."

Recollections of Hiro undergoing a chemical brain reset came to Baymax's immediate thoughts. "Would such a process be aided by introducing the same serum you gave Tadashi to reset his body?"

But both Doctors shook their heads. "That was a chemical reset," the bow-tied Doctor replied. "It's not quite the same thing. No, the best thing we can do for him would be to induce a medical coma. That way he can focus his energy on reconnecting those memories. If he doesn't, the cracks in time and space won't heal. And if they aren't fixed, there's no way anything else can be."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Q spoke up, his tone filled with incredulity. "Do you mean to say that unless Hiro can successfully integrate all of those memories back into his brain, I'll be stuck as a human for the rest of my life? And who's to say he can do that? From everything I've gathered, the process is dangerous, with no sure outcome. He could die from the strain. Especially if what we've already observed is only a taste of what he's going through. It will be a miracle if he survives at all."

A loud clatter sounded as Wasabi knocked over a tray as he entered the room. "Say what now?" He stared at everyone there with shock. "Are you trying to tell me that everything rides on Hiro and if he doesn't fix whatever he's fixing in his mind, he's going to die? And possibly the entire universe with him?!" His voice went up an octave or two with his words.

"Oh, hey!" the blue-clad Doctor spoke up, noticing the OCD physicist. "When did you get here?"

But Wasabi wasn't having any more delays as he folded his arms across his chest. "Just answer the question." The very idea that everything hinged on Hiro was just insane. Hadn't the universe made him suffer enough already?

The other Doctor tapped his screwdriver thoughtfully against his cheek. "Now that I think about it, it probably will result in exactly that," he confessed. "You see, because Hiro went back so many times, breaking space and time, he's really the only one who can fix it. And if he fails, well…" he put his hands out, shrugging his shoulders as he gave off an expression that could only mean one thing. "I guess we'll all just cease to exist then, won't we?" he finished after a rather pregnant pause.

Wasabi felt his breath hitch inside his lungs and was only reminded to breathe when Baymax instructed him to do so. "Is that right?" he managed in a rather squeaky voice, his knees feeling weak. "I think… I'm going to go sit down now." And with that, he turned and left the room.

"Do you think someone should go with him?" Data inquired as he watched the blade-wielding hero leave the room.

The two Doctors looked at each other, then, as one, spoke once more. "Nah. He should be fine."

Baymax took that opportunity to bring their attention back to the matter at hand. "Do you believe that inducing a medical coma will help Hiro as he tries to reintegrate his memories?" The procedure would essentially shut down, at least temporarily, all functions not necessary to sustain life, giving the rest of his body the extra boost it might need. The results might go either way, though it should help reduce the swelling of Hiro's brain caused by the reintegration process. At least it should enough so that it wouldn't cause permanent damage. There were risks either way and he wanted confirmation before attempting it.

"I think it will give him the best chance, yes," the blue-clad Doctor answered. "The process is going to wear him out on so many levels. That and if his brain continues to swell, it won't matter if he finishes or not. The more advantages we can give him, the more likely we will get a positive outcome."

The healthcare companion nodded. "Very well. I will follow your suggestion. As we are unable to determine how long this process will take, I will only induce a short term coma. Once the medication has had a chance to run its course, I will evaluate if there is a need to induce a longer one." That said, he turned to retrieve the necessary medication from its shelves. Internally, he calculated what concentration to administer, taking into consideration physical age, weight, and his current condition. Normally, he would not have done this without the advice of a medical doctor, but he trusted that both Time Lords knew what they were talking about.

The proprofol serum prepared, he turned back to his patient and attached the medicine to Hiro's IV line so that it would drip slowly in with the saline fluids. He made sure the flow was adequate for the purpose as he adjusted the drip rate. "It should only take a few minutes for the medication to take full effect," he announced, now fully intent on monitoring his patient's vitals.


	43. No Mistake

**  
**

Fred and GoGo met Wasabi halfway up to the command center. In fact, they almost ran right into him. "Hey, man, you okay?" Fred asked the physics student, who seemed more than a little wobbly on his feet. "Maybe you should, I don't know, sit down?"

"Mmm," GoGo agreed as she reached out a steadying hand. Wasabi looked like death warmed over, she thought, definitely not a good combination. Had something else happened while she'd been comforting Fred? Probably.

Wasabi nodded almost absently as he sank down into the stair behind him. "Yeah, sit down. Sitting down is good," he rambled. "I just need to sit down and calm my thoughts, take it all in and breathe it all out. Yeah."

Honey chose that moment to join them, looking more than a little concerned at Wasabi's state. "Did something happen to Wasabi?" she asked the other two.

Fred shrugged, not sure what to make of this odd behavior. "No idea. We just happened upon him on our way up to check on Hiro and the Doctors and found him like this."

His words seemed to give Honey a bit more energy than before. "The Doctors are back?" She couldn't help but smile hopefully at that. "Maybe they can figure out what's wrong with Hiro!"

Wasabi closed his eyes, one hand over his face now. "They already figured it out," he confessed. "Hiro has to reintegrate all the memories he shut out after repeating his time line trying to save Tadashi. If he doesn't, the universe as we know it will end."

GoGo couldn't help but pop a bubble as she stared incredulously at him. "Are you serious? How is that even possible? Are you sure you heard correctly?"

"No mistake," Wasabi confirmed as he bent to put his head between his knees. He still felt faint and a bit dizzy. Everything kept piling up, and while he knew it had to be a million times worse for Hiro, he didn't even want to contemplate what that might mean for the team as a whole if something really bad were to happen. Enough had happened already. "I heard it directly from the Doctors' mouths."

Honey couldn't help but let out a slight gasp at that. When she'd left Hiro and the others upstairs, things had seemed at least stable. Of course, now that she had a little more information, she couldn't help but wonder just how this had all happened. She was tempted to march right up there and demand an explanation but didn't. Wasabi wasn't doing so well and someone had to stay with him. It wasn't that she doubted Fred and GoGo would know what to do, but there were probably enough people around Hiro right now that they didn't need any more joining the party.

GoGo contemplated what they'd just heard. While Wasabi usually had a hard time with things not going in the expected way, she hadn't actually seen him quite like this before. However, she had her own problems to deal with, like defining a relationship. Not that Wasabi's concerns weren't valid, but everyone had to deal with their things in their own ways. "Fred," she turned to her companion, "weren't you going to go see the Doctors? I thought that's why Heathcliff told you they'd gotten here."

The otaku looked up sharply at that, reminded of his original destination. "Oh, right. Yeah, we were going to do that." He glanced over at Honey. "Hey, think you could keep an eye on Wasabi? I mean, I'm sure he's going to be okay and everything but maybe someone should stay with him until he calms down or something?"

Honey nodded. While Wasabi wasn't physically freaking out, chances were good he was having a hard time dealing with the information he'd divulged. And she knew if someone didn't keep an eye on him, he might go into a full out panic attack. It was always wise to have someone near at hand to talk him down if that happened. "I can do that," she affirmed as she took a seat next to the physicist. "You do what you need to, okay?"

With that taken care of, Fred and GoGo continued up the stairs. Both felt a bit of misgiving at what their friend had told them and neither wanted to see if it was really true or not. But they couldn't remain in ignorance forever. It was best to get to the bottom of the matter sooner than later.

* * *

After some restless pacing, Captain Picard decided he couldn't just stand around and do nothing. Honey had left him soon after Deanna and he just hadn't felt a desire to sit back down at the table. He'd decidedly lost his appetite with everything that had happened. And even though it was getting late, he did want some answers.

Picard caught sight of Heathcliff in the hallways as the butler returned from informing his master of the Doctors' appearance. And, after asking the location of Worf and their prisoner, he went towards the room in question. Chances were good the butler hadn't known about Deanna joining up with that party so he hadn't bothered mentioning it.

When he arrived at the specified room, he was met by Lieutenant Worf. "Captain," the Klingon greeted. "I take it you wish to see the prisoner."

The balding man nodded. "Yes, I would," he replied. "Is Counselor Trio already with him?"

Worf ushered his superior officer in with a grunt. "She has removed his restraints," he informed gruffly. "The butler and I were unable to get anything from him. Perhaps the counselor will do better."

Picard felt bemused by that thought. When they'd first taken the man into custody, he'd been inclined to believe the man a lunatic. But if that wasn't the case, and he wasn't a violent type, perhaps Deanna's methods would produce the best results. "Where are they?" he wondered out loud when entering the room didn't immediately show anyone else but his security officer.

"Through here," Worf replied, indicating the door leading to the back of the room. He refrained from going in himself as his presence seemed to countermand what the counselor was trying to do.

Having gone through the doorway, Picard had to take a moment to let his eyes adjust to the difference in lighting. What should have been the florescence of the overhead light was replaced by candles set out on the floor and various other niches. "What's going on in here?" he inquired, wondering if he'd entered a therapy session instead of an interrogation.

Deanna looked up from her position on a low chair she'd had Worf find for her. It was somehow a lot more comfortable than standing, towering over James, the man who'd kidnapped Hiro. Sort of. "Captain," she greeted, realizing he was staring not only at her but at their uninvited guest, who was sitting on a small love sack. "We were just discussing Mr. James' adventures."

Picard couldn't help but scowl. "Adventures," he said in a rather skeptical voice. "Oh, I'm sure his adventures have been many."

Troi gave him a look. "You shouldn't judge until you've heard the whole story," she admonished gently. "Why don't you sit down and join us? Maybe then you'll begin to understand why I don't think this was entirely his fault."

* * *

The dark fragments of matter were slowly growing less and less, Hiro decided as he took the opportunity to stand back and evaluate his progress. The last memory had decidedly not been a pleasant one. But at least it was over with, though he still shook from the shock of it.

"You're doing good," Tadashi encouraged. "I know I'm not the incarnation who was there for that one but I still felt everything he probably did. It makes it easier to understand why you tried so hard to save my life. I know I couldn't have lived that over and over again, failing time after time, watching you die over and over again. I honestly don't know how you did it."

Hiro couldn't help but stare at his brother's apparition. "You saw all that?! But I thought it was just me!"

Tadashi shook his head, an expression of long suffering on his face. "Hiro, how long is it going to take you to realize that I'm a part of you? What you see, I see. What you remember, I remember. The only difference is that since I'm a part of your mind, I don't get to experience them the same way you do. I'm just here to help you out, give you advice and comfort when you need it. I'm a part of who you are and there's nothing that can change that."

"I wouldn't want to," Hiro admitted. "I miss having you around. But, I also like being able to do my own thing and make friends and all that." He let out a heavy sigh. "Okay, so how many more of these memories do I have to go through? I kind of feel like I've got a bit of a second wind or something, you know what I mean?"

The older Hamada ruffled Hiro's hair. "That's because your friends have put you into a medical coma," he informed him. "Thinking about the implications, I tend to agree it was probably the best option, given the circumstances. Your brain's exerting a lot of energy, which causes the tissues to swell. Your friends are trying to help you out by giving your body the chance to focus on the task at hand without having to worry about other things."

Hiro couldn't help but look surprised by his statement. "I hadn't even thought about that," he admitted. "I mean I was too busy reliving my past to give it much thought. Is that really what reliving all these memories is doing to my body?"

"Afraid so," Tadashi confirmed, his arms now folded across his chest. "I didn't want to tell you, figuring you had a basic grasp of the risks, but I guess it's better late than never. You see, while you reintegrate each memory, it reconnects the broken fragments of time you created by going back over and over again. While you've been busy delving into your memories, I've been keeping tabs on what's been going on outside your body. I'm sure you'll be happy to know you're back at Fred's place."

That really did give Hiro pause, everything slowly catching up in his thoughts. "Wait. Did you say they put me in a coma?" While, logically, it made sense, he still had a hard time processing the idea. "And I'm back at Fred's place? How'd that happen?"

Tadashi shrugged. "I guess your kidnapper had a change of heart or something. I don't know what he's thinking, just what you are, remember?" He tapped his brother on the forehead for emphasis.

Hiro looked a bit sheepish at that. "Yeah, forgot about that. It's sometimes hard to believe you're just in my head and not out there, somewhere. You know, alive."

"Yeah, I know," Tadashi sighed. "But dwelling on that isn't going to help get things done. Why don't we check off what you've already accomplished?"

That idea caused a moment of unease as Hiro wondered if thinking about the reintegrated memories would trigger the initial symptoms associated with them reconnecting. But he supposed it was better to get it done and over with than worry about the potential outcome. "Okay, I've already been blown up, burned to a crisp and suffered anaphylactic shock. What else is there?"

Tadashi had to think about that for a moment. "From the sounds of things, you have three more to go. And, if I'm not mistaken, they all take a while, especially the last one before this current timeline."

"Don't tell me I have to relive all of that one!" Hiro groaned. "I mean getting shot and cracking my ribs was fun and all that," he continued with heavy sarcasm, "but I'd really rather not live through that again."

His brother chuckled as he ruffled his hair. "Relax, you big baby. There's no need to relive that one. It's already firmly integrated. The bad news is there's no knowing how long each memory integration is going to take. Just because one part may shorter than another doesn't mean it will go as quickly as another."

Hiro couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, at least until I heard the last part. As much fun as that had been, he really just didn't want to have to relive almost sixteen years of life just to reach the finishing line. "Seriously? You had to tell me that now?"

"I just want you to know what you're dealing with," Tadashi shrugged. "Honestly, I'm not even sure how much time out there in the waking world has passed. It could be hours, minutes, days…"

Hiro had to wave him off right there. "Days? Are you kidding me? You mean to say this could last indefinitely, regardless of how many I've already done? How is that even remotely fair?"

Tadashi rolled his eyes. "Since when is life fair?" he asked. "It's not about what's fair and what isn't. It's about how long it takes for everything to work itself out. Some rides are smoother than others. And while you may have integrated fragments of previous time loops already, that doesn't mean you got all of them. Being in segments like that makes it take longer simply because your brain has to work double-duty to figure out where all the pieces go. It's not all going to go in order. I thought you'd figured that out by now."

There was no point in arguing. "Okay, so what's next?" Hiro asked instead as he looked around. The fragments were indeed getting fewer, which meant he'd have to start moving around to get to them.

"Why don't you find a fragment and see?" Tadashi inquired with a hint of amusement in his tone. He watched his brother carefully walk over to the next available tendril of memory, reluctantly holding out a hand to touch it. "You got this," he encouraged when his brother hesitated.

Hiro couldn't help but flinch a bit, hoping beyond hope that just once he wouldn't end up in agonizing pain the moment he touched another strand. But he knew there was nothing for it but to do it so he reached out once more. "I got this," he said as he firmly grasped the tendril in his hand.

* * *

"Vitals remain stable," Baymax reported as he observed his small patient. Perhaps it had been a good idea to induce the coma after all. It seemed to be helping. And though Hiro's temperature was still above normal perimeters, it had decreased enough he no longer feared any complications from it. Another point in favor of the treatment was that his brain also seemed to be returning to a better state, despite the continued activity manifested on the EEG readout. He didn't need to look at that monitor to know Hiro's brain was still quite active despite the drug.

Both Doctors nodded, one folding his arms as he observed. "Steady as she goes," the bow-tied one said as he moved closer to the examination table. He closed his eyes for only a moment before opening them again, a goofy grin on his face. "Looks like we've got another crack sealing itself."

Q watched the two Doctors with a curious expression on his face. "You can actually see the cracks in the space/time continuum?" He looked mildly impressed.

The younger Doctor gave him a mysterious smile. "It's what we do," he answered. "Speaking of which, it would seem we are no longer quite alone." He glanced over at the open doorway where Fred and GoGo stared into the medical room. "Why don't you two come in and see for yourself instead of just standing there, gawking?"

Looking a little chagrined, Fred sauntered into the room. "Hey," he said by way of greeting as GoGo followed in behind him. "So we ran into Wasabi on the way up and he was saying something about how Hiro has to reconnect all the memories of his past lives or the whole universe would go up in a cloud of smoke or something."

GoGo gave him a rather skeptical look. That wasn't exactly how Wasabi had put it but she supposed it was close enough. Besides, it was just like Fred to interpret it that way. "What he said," she added with a bit of a shoulder hitch to indicate her friend.

The blue-clad Doctor pushed away from the counter he'd been leaning against, hands in his pockets. "You might say something like that," he confirmed. "Though I don't' know about the whole cloud of smoke bit. More like the whole universe will shatter into a million million little pieces. But who's actually counting?"

The silence his comment brought out was shattered when GoGo loudly popped a gum bubble. "Sounds intense," she replied. "So, while we're waiting for him to put everything in his head back together, what are we doing to get that guy," and she pointed at Q, "his energy back?"

The two Doctors exchanged looks with each other, not sure what to say to that. Finally, the bow-tied Doctor spoke up. "We can't," he said slowly, holding up a hand when it looked like GoGo was going to let out another spat of chatter. "What I mean to say is we can't until Hiro has finished what he's currently doing. You see, we believe that Hiro is the medium through which all of that energy can be stored so it can be returned to Q. However, in his current state, he can't exactly do that. What will eventually need to be done is not figuring out a way of gathering that energy, but on how to transfer it back to Q."

Fred couldn't help but blink at that. Not only was it a bit confusing but he was starting to feel the exhaustion of overexertion kicking in. It was getting quite later after all. "So, wait," he stifled a yawn. "You mean until Hiro's finished with his memory thing, there's pretty much nothing we can do but sit and wait?"

"That's precisely what I'm saying," the younger Doctor confirmed. "But that doesn't mean my companion and I won't be doing our best to try and come up with a solution to fix that once the time comes. The best thing to do right now is rest and try to figure out what the person who kidnapped Hiro has to say about things."

GoGo let out a heavy sigh. "I think we've got that covered already," she admitted. "Worf will probably get out of him whatever we need. But you're probably right about rest. It is getting late." She glanced pointedly at Fred, who, despite his best efforts, was starting to droop. "Maybe we should all call it a night."

Data looked up from observing their patient. "I will remain here in case Baymax needs further assistance," he asserted. "As I do not need sleep, I feel this to be the best course of action. Those who do need sleep should retire for the evening. Would one of you please escort Q to his room?"

Q glared at the android. "Are you trying to banish me like some kind of recalcitrant child? If so, I warn you it won't be easy. I plan on staying right here until we get to the bottom of how to fix all of this."

GoGo looked like she was about use force, despite her smaller size, when Fred spoke up. "Just leave him be," he said. "It's not like he'll get into too much trouble with Data there to watch him, right?"

The android contemplated that for a moment. "I suppose you are correct," he admitted. "I should be able to incapacitate him should he do something unadvisable."

The blue-clad Doctor clapped his hands together, rubbing them. "Then it's all settled. Go ahead and tell the others we're going to just hang tight for the night and see how things go. We'll look at things again in the morning. Until then, we should all try and get some sleep." He gave GoGo a knowing look.

"Fine," the adrenaline junky agreed, though it was reluctantly. "Let's go, Fred." She grabbed her friend by the arm and steered him out of the room.

The Doctor turned to Q. "And don't think we won't be keeping an eye on you. We can always ask Baymax to give you a sedative if you cause any trouble."

Q put his hands in the air. "I wouldn't dream of it," he retorted.


	44. You're Wrong

 

Picard couldn't help but yawn as he sat on the floor. It wasn't that he hadn't been offered something to sit on. Worf had poked his head in long enough to see if his superior officer wanted a chair. It was more out of a stubborn sense of pride, if he was being honest. But the fact that it was getting late, the light was low due to the candles, and Deanna had somehow managed to find a device to play quiet music didn't help.

The unfortunate thing was that the atmosphere seemed to have the same effect on their detainee. James was having a hard time keeping his eyes open as well, though the counselor didn't seem to have the same problem. "Why don't we call it a night," Troi suggested when she realized that both men were about ready to drop into slumber. They'd only gotten through the most basic parts of the story so far, and she thought there was a lot more to it than desperation, as had already been suggested. However, it was getting late and everyone needed their rest. It had been a long day, after all.

The slight sound of snoring came from the other room. It took Deanna a moment to realize it came from Worf. She stifled a smile as she stood from her seat and turned off the music. "Perhaps it would be best to pick this up in the morning," she reiterated.

With a bit of a start, Picard opened his eyes. "What was that? Oh, yes. Quite right, counselor," he rushed, realizing he'd actually dozed off in the last few minutes. A bit slowly, he regained his feet. "We should pick things up in the morning." He gave a brief nod to Trio before exiting the room. The sound of Worf's snores quickly ended as the captain nudged him on his way out.

But before the Klingon could go in and see what was going on, Heathcliff entered the outer room. "I believe everyone is retiring for the evening," he informed Worf. "If you wish to do the same, I will secure the prisoner."

Deanna couldn't help but peer into the outer room at the butler's words. James had fallen asleep and she found no reason to suspect he was pretending. "Do you really think that necessary? He's clearly not a flight danger at the moment."

The butler entered the inner room, glancing briefly at the man in question. "It is not for me to decide," he informed her. He didn't need to add that he'd had orders, not from Fred, but his father, to detain the man with whatever force he felt necessary. And while this James person wasn't in any immediate danger of trying to flee, he wouldn't put it past him to take the earliest opportunity when he woke up.

Seeing as there wasn't much she could say on the matter, Deanna nodded. "Of course. We need make sure we're able to get to the bottom of this." She stepped aside to allow Heathcliff access to the man inside. She was only mildly surprised to see Worf following the butler, albeit a bit more slowly than usual. He did look tired, after all, and she contributed it to that.

"Allow me to assist you," the Klingon offered as Heathcliff expertly lifted the unconscious man over one shoulder, showing strength the Klingon would not have expected to see in such an older individual. "Then again, it does not appear that you need my help. However, I still wish to accompany you to wherever you are taking him."

Heathcliff nodded by way of answer as he turned towards the door. He didn't feel the need to say anything else as he gave a brief nod to Trio as well, before leaving the room. Worf followed after him, making sure to open the door so he could exit without difficulty.

Deanna let out a sigh as she moved to blow out the candles. It wouldn't do to burn the place down by leaving them burning unattended. That taken care of, she headed to her room for the night.

* * *

By the time Wasabi had calmed sufficiently down, Honey couldn't help but comment on the late hour. She stifled a yawn as she moved so her companion could regain his feet. "If I didn't know any better," she commented, "I wouldn't be surprised if everyone else had decided to go to bed." She checked her watch, realizing it was closer to midnight. "Maybe we should do the same."

Wasabi had to agree, though he still wanted to do something more productive than sit in the command center and pretend to be doing something. He hadn't been in much of the action today, which was both a shame and a relief at the same time. His muscles still hurt, despite painkillers and heating pads. He decided it might not be a bad idea to do some stretching in the morning, but he knew Honey was right. "Yeah," he agreed. "Sleep sounds good."

Since they were already near the second floor, it didn't take much to actually reach their respective rooms. They were just a quick jaunt down the hallway on either side. Honey Lemon's shared room was to the left, while Wasabi's was to the right.

The physics student couldn't help but slump against his bed as soon as he reached his room. He missed his usual bed back at his apartment. Not that the one in Fred's place wasn't nice. It was. He just was ready to go back to life before all of this craziness had happened. And it would even nicer to have Hiro back to his usual, sometimes annoying, self.

He glanced briefly over at the empty bed, wondering just what the young hero might be going through. Chances were pretty good he didn't really want to know. All the same, he couldn't help but be a bit curious. After all, everything was completely outside the norm. But that also meant he felt totally out of his element, which always left him feeling somehow ungrounded. It wasn't a nice feeling. He liked order, but there was nothing orderly or predictable about what was going on now.

Deciding there was nothing for it but to try and get some sleep, Wasabi changed into his pajamas and tried to get some sleep. Unfortunately, thoughts of impending doom floated around in his head, keeping him up much later than he'd originally intended. However, his brain finally shut up enough for him to slip into troubled dreams.

* * *

Hiro had no idea what time it was, nor was he sure he cared. Whatever his friends had done made things a little easier for him on the inside. The pain was no less, but knowing they were out there, rooting for him, supporting him as best as they could, helped. It didn't make the process any less tiring, but he could endure it better knowing he was no longer alone.

Part of him took the time to wonder why and how he'd returned to the Manor, as Tadashi had told him had happened. Had the kidnapper had a change of heart? Possible, though it wasn't necessarily likely. Though he couldn't say circumstances were anywhere near the typical. Nothing about his life was typical of the social norm. It was probably better that way, if he was being honest.

The last tendril he'd touched locked into place with its corresponding memories. Another one down, so many more still to go. This last one had touched on things he'd thought he'd already lived through. Except this one was different. Instead of surviving being shot at the hospital hold up, he'd actually died. He supposed it made sense that he'd have to go through that again. It was probably the instigating moment that allowed all of this to happen. And, now that he thought about it, several things started to make sense.

If time was supposed to run in a specific way, wasn't it entirely possible that his constantly going back had messed up with things? It would explain some of the random comments he'd heard, despite being in a comatose state. Hadn't the Doctors said something about his memories being connected to tears in the universe? It made a certain kind of sense, if he thought about it. He'd messed up the normal flow of time. It only figured that it would shatter, though there seemed more to it than that.

Despite there being so many more fragments of memory to piece back together, Hiro took the opportunity to sit back and contemplate. Things hadn't really started to get crazy, all of the consequences of his time meddling coming to light, until after their current visitors had shown up. And, more specifically, until Q showed up. There was no doubt in his mind that the energy he'd felt that first night was Q's energy acting as the last smattering of pressure needed to shatter the glass of the space/time continuum. Like tempered glass, it had held in its frame until some other influence had pushed it out of the protective bounds. And because of that happening, it allowed everything that had occurred to happen. It had to be true. There was no other logical explanation for it.

And, of course, it all centered around Hiro, because he'd been the one stupid enough to keep going back in time, over and over again, breaking the cosmic glass more and more, even though he hadn't realized it at the time. It was so stupid of him! How could he have not realized it?!

"Try not to beat yourself up too much," Tadashi admonished. "Not that I'm saying your hypothesis is wrong. It makes sense. But you don't have to be so hard on yourself."

Hiro shook his head. "You're wrong. This is all my fault. If I hadn't wanted you back so badly, none of this would have happened." He let his shoulders slump in defeat, because what he'd just said was true. None of this _would_ have happened if he hadn't been so selfish.

Tadashi came up behind him and gave him a hug. "Hey," he admonished gently. "Have you stopped to consider that maybe things were supposed to happen like this?"

Hiro turned to look his brother in the eye, confusion filling his expression. "What do you mean? How could any of this been meant to happen? I broke the universe!"

But Tadashi shook his head, chuckling lightly. "While I do have to give you some credit, I think you're taking on way too much. Look at it this way, if you hadn't wished for the chance to get me back, would you be standing here now?"

Looking a bit sulky, Hiro dodged the question. "That's not the point! If I hadn't, none of this would have happened!"

Tadashi sighed. "You're not listening, bonehead," he pressed as he gave his brother a knuckle sandwich. "If you hadn't wanted me back, you would have died there on that hospital floor. Instead, you were given the opportunity to fix your mistakes."

"And look what good that did!" Hiro complained as he ducked out from under his brother's hand, turning to face him. "You're the one who's not listening! Maybe it would have been better if I'd died back there!"

The older Hamada couldn't believe what he was hearing and it showed on his face as his mouth fell open. "You don't really believe that," he stated, though there was a hint of disbelief and doubt in his tone. "You can't believe that. Do you have any idea what that would have done to GoGo, Fred, Honey Lemon, and Wasabi? Let alone to Aunt Cass. Can you honestly say it would have been better if you'd just died that one time?"

Hiro's eyes went wide as the implications slammed against him. What would that have done to the rest of his team and family? And why hadn't he contemplated it before? Chances were good they would be just as devastated as he'd been when Tadashi'd died. They were a family forged in loss, fire, and a mutual goal of helping those who couldn't help themselves. How could he even have contemplated how the idea that leaving them would have been better?

"I think you're finally starting to see," Tadashi said as he flicked Hiro in the head with one finger. "While you've adopted my mantra of "someone has to help", I think you've lost sight of the fact that it doesn't have to all rest on your shoulders. You're not the center of the universe, Hiro."

Hiro waved a hand to ward off another potential flick from his brother's all too accurate fingers. "I know I'm not the center of the universe!" He turned , walking a few paces away, arms folded as he sulked.

Tadashi let out another sigh. "I know that and you know that," he admitted, rubbing at the back of his neck with one hand. "I just think you sometimes forget that you're not the only one who was affected by my death. And what it would mean to everyone else to lose you. In a way, you are the central hub that keeps them together. They need you just as much as you need them. Don't ever regret your decision or wish you'd changed it, because that would have taken away from them someone just as, if not more important than I was to them."

"How can you say that?" Hiro asked in an incredulous tone. "How could you know how important I am to them?"

With a shake of his head, Tadashi thrust his hands into his pockets. "I know you can be dense sometimes, but this takes the cake. Haven't you been listening? You're family! Yes, it's not like you and me and Aunt Cass, but it's still family. They would do anything for you. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they had a few surprises in store for you when you wake up. Then you'll see just how much you mean to them. So don't be so hard on yourself, or them, for that matter."

Hiro wasn't entirely sure if he could believe all of that, but it had a ring of truth to it. At the very least, he could stop feeling sorry for himself. Tadashi was right. His friends would probably not have dealt with losing him well. He knew he wouldn't like it if they'd lost any others of the group. And when he'd thought he'd lost Baymax…. Well, it had torn a hole right in his chest that had been almost if not more painful than when Tadashi had left. Of course, part of that might have been because Baymax was also part of Tadashi, but that wasn't the point. What was the point again? Oh. Right. "I promise to try and not take myself too seriously," he said.

Tadashi smiled at that. "Just remember you're not alone. Aren't you the one who was feeling grateful for their support only a few minutes ago?" He pulled his brother in close, giving him another knuckle sandwich, only much more gently this time. "You'll figure out what you need to figure out in the right time. I know you're close to figuring it out, a way of fixing things in the here and now. But there are a few things you should focus on first."

Not sure what his brother meant, Hiro looked up with a questioning expression. "Like what?"

Tadashi rolled his eyes, rubbing at his face with his hand in disbelieve. "Unbelievable. Have you already forgotten what you're supposed to be doing? And here I thought you were supposed to be a genius."

It took Hiro a moment to realize what he meant. "Oh." His eye went wide in understanding. "Right." He gave his brother a sheepish smile. "Reintegration. Not that the break wasn't a nice while it lasted. Guess I'd better get back to work."

Tadashi smiled as his brother reached for the next strange of estranged memory. They would get through this together. Soon, there would come a moment when Hiro needed to worry about other things, but that time wasn't now. Until that time, he would look after his brother as usual, keeping him firmly grounded, just as he'd always done.

* * *

Data adjusted the flow of medication going into Hiro's IV line. After consulting with Baymax, they'd both agreed that it should be reduced just a little. The initial dosage had been more than enough to make sure Hiro's body would rest. Now it was time to see if a lower dose would be more suitable for their purposes.

"Thank you for allowing me to assist you," Data said as he finished adjusting the flow. "While our friendship has not gone in the manner I had hoped, it has indeed been informational."

Baymax blinked at his android companion. They'd had the opportunity to talk quite extensively while the others had gone to bed. Even Q had finally succumbed to the lack of sleep and had curled up on one of the spare cots. "Thank you for your assistance," Baymax countered. "While my creator intended a non-threatening, huggable design, it does sometimes impede with my ability to properly care for my patients. It is good to have someone who is able to perform the necessary procedures without the emotional attachment that might prohibit such."

Data wasn't sure he knew what to make of that speech. "My overall desire is to become more human," he informed the robot. "If that means I must deal with such emotions, I would gladly do so. Have you no such desires?"

"My purpose is to heal the sick and injured," Baymax informed. "Hiro has expanded that purpose to helping those in need. I do not see any need to go further than this. However, it would be helpful to better understand the emotional state of my patients if I had a better grasp of them."

He ran a quick scan of Hiro to make sure everything was stable. It was. And while his temperature was still elevated, it had not really changed since earlier that evening. At least it hadn't increased, though Baymax would not have minded if they'd been able to bring it down back to normal. He would take his victories where he could. The swelling of Hiro's brain was at least under control, so there was that.

The android moved to stand next to his robotic counterpart. "The technology and programming associated with your creation would be considered an advancement even where I am from. We do not have many fully functioning robots with an artificial intelligence able to evolve as yours seems capable of doing. Your creator must be proud of his accomplishments."

Almost as if he actually felt something, Baymax's eyes closed a bit at Data's words. "Tadashi Hamada created me to help those in need," he admitted. "However, Hiro has improved on my original programming. I am sure he is proud of his achievements and the achievements his brother was able to make before his death."

"Ah," Data said, realizing what he'd brought to mind. "I had forgotten about his death," he admitted. "I did not mean to cause you any discomfort."

Baymax couldn't help but tilt his head as he contemplated the android. "I cannot be uncomfortable. I am a robot," he protested in confusion.

Data decided to let the matter drop. It would be less confusing for the both of them. They were both so different, fulfilling the measure of their creation in different ways. It wasn't entirely unfathomable to believe the robot was more than happy with his role in life, not wanting to become like his companions. All the same, Data still wished to become as human as possible.

"I detect a change in brain activity," Baymax announced moments before the EEG registered the change as well. Was it a result of a change in dosage of the proprofol or was it from something else? He wasn't sure.

Data pulled out his tricorder and began scanning the area. "I detect a slight increase in the energy surrounding the area," he reported, though he felt sure the robot already knew that.

Despite the drugs running in Hiro's system, his body started to react as his muscles tensed. "Please increase the dosage of proprofol," Baymax requested as he monitored the change. Perhaps changing the initial dosage had been a mistake after all. And with the energy running rampant in the area, he had no idea what kind of effect it might have on the boy.

"What's going on?" the blue-clad Doctor asked as he entered the room. He'd left some hours ago to try and get a bit of shut eye but something had drawn him back to the room. His companion, however, remained in his TARDIS where he'd gone to meditate.

Data adjusted the drug flow as requested. "The energy levels in this room have increased," he informed the newcomer. "It seems to be countermanding the medication."

The Doctor whipped out his sonic screwdriver and scanned the area. "You're right," he agreed when he looked at the readings. "This is happening too quickly. We need to find a way to slow down the energy. In Hiro's current form, he won't be able to absorb all of it. As things stand, if it isn't stopped, it could tear him apart before he has the chance to finish what he's doing."

"Oh no," Baymax intoned at those words. "What do you suggest?" He looked almost expectantly at the Doctor, as if he somehow knew the man had the answer.

Data glanced at the readings on the various monitors, realizing the Doctor was right. Whatever had caused the increase of energy was not helping Hiro. They had to do something and quickly. The increase in the proprofol did not seem to be helping either, though it might be too soon to tell. The boy's temperature and vital signs had increased significantly.

The Doctor began pacing as he raked his hands through his hair. "Think! Think! Think!" he admonished himself. "How can we slow this down?" He slammed his hand against one of the counters. "Not slow it down! Block it! How do we block it?"

He dashed into the command center, heading for the bin of spare parts Hiro had collected over the past few months while tinkering with various odds and ends.

"Doctor," Baymax called out, "I would suggest you hurry with whatever it is you are doing. Hiro's vital signs are destabilizing."

The Doctor dumped the recycling bin over, scattering odd parts across the floor. He rapidly searched for what he hoped would be in there. Thankfully, he found something that would make do. "Data!" he called out, "I need your help."

Data went to join the Doctor in the other room, leaving Baymax to deal with Hiro's increasingly unstable pulse and respirations. He wasn't sure what they were doing but felt the closest approximation of relief possible for him when the two returned to the room.

Data carried the rather odd looking device the two had put together, which he placed on the counter closest to Hiro's head. "I hope this will do what you say it will," he announced as he positioned it. "We are ready," he finally stated, the device placed exactly as requested.

The Doctor approached the thing with his sonic screwdriver. He changed the settings on the sonic and pointed it at their creation. A high pitched hum filled the air as he activated it. Circuits popped on the makeshift creation as it began to function.

"It is supposed to do that?" Data inquired as he hastily took a step back.

But the Doctor didn't answer as he concentrated on what he was doing. He changed the settings on his screwdriver, the pitch changing as the device on the counter also changed the sounds it was making. He thumbed off the screwdriver. Without warning, he swayed as he did so, almost as if his strength had left him.

Data moved to intercept him before he could fall, supporting him so he could stay upright. "Are you all right, Doctor?" he inquired as the man in his arms seemed to go through several spasms before his body settled back to normal.

"I detected a change in heart rhythm," Baymax announced as he focused on the Doctor. He was about to go over and offer further assistance when the Time Lord pulled away from Data's supporting arms.

"Just stay back for a minute," the blue-clad man requested. Shuddering a bit, almost as if he'd eaten something vile, the Doctor closed his eyes and concentrated for several long seconds before opening his eyes once more. "Was not expecting that to happen," he admitted as he tried to pop his ears. "But hopefully it did the trick."

Data pulled out his tricorder once more. "The energy level seems to have decreased slightly," he announced. Covertly, he performed a scan of the Doctor as well. "I do not understand what you have done but it seems to have supplied the necessary buffer."

Baymax turned his attention back to his primary patient. "Vital signs are stabilizing," he announced as Hiro's pulse and respirations returned to normal. He also noted the boy's muscles seemed to have relaxed, allowing the medication to take hold once more. "I do not understand either," he admitted.

The Doctor moved to lean heavily against the counter. "The energy was gathering too quickly towards Hiro," he informed. "I had to do something to help buffer it until we can find a way to return Hiro to his normal form. If he were to integrate that energy in his current state, it would burn him up like a super nova and we can't let that happen."

The android contemplated the Time Lord. "While I understand the basic concept of what you did, I do not understand the means by which you accomplished it, nor why it affected you as it did. Please explain."

Slowly, the Time Lord removed his weight from the counter top. "I'm guessing that one of Hiro's memories excited the energy, making it think now was the time to swarm, in a manner of speaking. I merely created a device that would block his brainwaves from calling out to that energy until he's ready for it to happen. I'm sure that once he regains consciousness, regardless of his physical age, he should be able to better control that. As for why it affected me, I haven't the foggiest idea." He moved to step away from the cabinets, only to have his knees buckle.

Thankfully, Data was there to steady him. "Perhaps it would be wise for you to sit down," he advised as he looked into the Doctor's eyes. "It might also be considered wise to have Baymax scan you for further complications this incident may have caused."

But the Doctor waved him off. "Nah. I'll be fine in a minute. Just had to take a bit of my own energy to make it work. Nothing to it. I just need a little rest and all will be well."

Baymax was about to comment on that but wisely chose not to when the Doctor gave him a look. "Please inform me if rest does not remedy your condition," he instructed instead. The answer he got in return was more than enough to inspire his confidence so he turned his attention back to Hiro.

Data, on the other hand, didn't look entirely convinced. There was something the Time Lord wasn't telling them, though he couldn't figure out what.


	45. How Dare You

Hiro gasped as he staggered back. Something had gone horribly wrong. He wasn't sure what, but something had. The pain still lingered in his phantom body, even though he'd let go of the memory strand he'd only momentarily held in his hand. Panting, he went down to his knees. "What was that?" he asked, not sure he really wanted to know.

Only vague impressions remained in his mind. The memory, if it was a memory, hadn't integrated. He'd not held on to it long enough to allow it to, nor was he sure he wanted to. This was so unlike any of the others that he couldn't help but wonder about it.

Tadashi was instantly by his brother's side. "You're pulse has increased," he announced as he held his brother in his arms. "This doesn't look good. Whatever it is you touched is trying to countermand your friends' attempts to help. I don't know how or why."

Hiro shook in his brother's arms, the pain lingering in his limbs, like it didn't want to let go, despite being cut off from the initial source. "Why does it hurt, Tadashi?" he gasped as it crackled through his body. "This isn't like the others."

But the older Hamada could only shake his head. "I don't know," he confessed. He gave the offending tendril a second glance, realizing it somehow looked different than the others as well. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that's the lynch pin necessary to seal everything shut." At least that's what it reminded him of when he saw the phantom images floating just above the tendril's surface. "Maybe it would be wise to save that one for last."

Weakly, Hiro had to nod. The pain was slowly starting to fade, but he could feel his body more forcefully reconnect to his current reality. Apparently the drugs they'd used to induce the coma were either wearing off or weren't being as effective as they were supposed to be. He could feel his real muscles tense as his lungs heaved for breath. "This can't be good for my body," he winced.

Tadashi went more transparent for a moment before returning to the state Hiro had grown accustomed to. "It's not," he confirmed. "But they're trying to fix it, whatever it is. Maybe that particular memory triggered an increase in the energy outside your body. It's messing with everything else going on inside. At least that's what I gathered from what I heard."

Hiro shook his head, then his hands, as if to fling the last vestiges of the pain away. His whole astral body tingled unpleasantly. "If that's the lynch pin, I'm not looking forward to it," he admitted as he slowly got back to his feet. "In fact, I'd rather avoid it if at all possible."

"Which might not be possible," Tadashi sighed. "If my theory is right, you're going to have to grasp that one more fully than any of the others. But not until the others are all in place. And maybe not until you're awake again. I don't know. I'm sorry, Hiro. I don't have any real answers for you."

Hiro had to lean against his brother. His phantom limbs still felt rubbery after the encounter. "Definitely not looking forward to that possibility," he admitted. "Guess we'll have to wait and see what happens there. In the meantime, I'm going to avoid that one like the plague." He looked around for the next potential strand.

"Maybe you should give yourself a chance to rest first," Tadashi advised. "I don't know about you, but something like that is enough to rattle even the most hardened individual. You should take a break, let your body calm down now that whatever they're doing out there seems to be doing something."

The younger Hamada took a moment to evaluate the situation. He could still feel things outside his body, though he couldn't get his ears to work. His muscles were still a bit tense, his pulse slowing back to normal. He had no idea what else might be going on but decided his brother might be right. "Okay," he agreed. "I'll rest for a bit, give them a chance to figure out what's going on."

Tadashi nodded at his decision. "You still have some time. And if you allow yourself to rest, then you'll be able to get through the rest that much more quickly. Just rest and we'll try again in a little while."

"Yeah," Hiro agreed, feeling like his phantom body was as heavy as cement. "Just rest a little…" His eyes flickered closed as he leaned back against his brother's strong chest. "Just for a little bit…."

* * *

Fred woke with a start. He wasn't entirely sure why. Maybe a dream? No. More like a feeling. Something had changed and he had no idea what. He yawned and stretched before sliding out from under the covers of his bed.

The various display cases lit the room with a low intensity light. It was something he'd grown used to over the years. Neon colors shown around the room from the different displays, reflecting against the glass of the various shelves housing his collection. When he crawled out of bed, he realized maybe it wasn't a dream that had woken him up after all.

The tell-tale sound of a gum bubble popping filled the air as the light of the television shown through the low light. Fred walked over, still in his Godzilla pajamas. "GoGo?" he asked when her familiar outline became visible on the couch. "What are you doing here?"

GoGo didn't so much as turn his way. "Couldn't sleep," she answered as she continued to stare at the screen. Whatever she was watching was on a commercial break, advertising something about a vacuum system that was supposedly better than anything currently on the market. With the volume turned off it was hard to tell.

Fred rubbed at the back of his neck as he moved to join her, feeling more than a little awkward. "Um… not that I'm not cool with you being here, but why did you choose my room instead of, I don't know, going to the movie room or something?" He knew they could use the giant screen in there to watch the T.V. too, though he wasn't unhappy to see her there.

GoGo answered by leaning further back against the cushions, crossing one leg over the other. "I didn't want to. I like it better in here."

Okay, that wasn't the answer Fred had expected, though he couldn't argue that his couch was quite comfortable. He'd picked it out for that exact reason. Still not sure what was going, he decided to edge a little closer to her. Underneath the surface, part of him wondered if she wasn't just checking in on him. He _had_ expelled a lot of pent up emotions last night. And, if he was being honest, he still wanted to deck the guy who'd taken Hiro, even though he now knew the guy wasn't strictly responsible for what was currently happening to his friend. He'd still taken him and that was a big no no.

Fred felt something touch his hand. It took him a moment to realize GoGo had moved her fingers to lace with his. "How are you doing?" she asked, breaking the momentary silence his reflections caused.

"I want to deck that guy," Fred admitted before thinking. He tried to pull his hand free a bit, not sure how she'd react to that statement. He wasn't prepared to feel GoGo tighten her grip so he couldn't pull away so he looked down at their joined hands instead. "Um…"

GoGo blew another bubble, more for something to do than for any other reason. It gave her the necessary pause to consider her response to that. "Me too," she decided. "I know he didn't really hurt Hiro, but I still just want to knock his lights out."

Fred allowed himself to sink back into the sofa, his back slouching into the curve as he did. "Yeah." Who knew what he'd do when he next saw the man. He might make good on his threat. He might not. There was no way of telling until it happened. He knew GoGo would if he didn't.

Looking more than a little hesitant, he glanced up as GoGo leaned into his side, resting her head on his shoulder. It took him another moment to realize she'd closed her eyes. Not sure what to do, he decided to do nothing. It was still the middle of the night. And, if he was being honest, he was still tired. Deciding there was nothing else for it, he allowed his head to lull towards hers, his eyes sliding closed as the T.V. continued with its late night broadcast.

* * *

James woke in a strange room. For the life of him, he couldn't understand where he was. It almost looked like a jail cell, if he was being honest. Except there were no bars, only walls. At least he'd woken up on some kind of cot, though the padding left much to be desired.

It took him a moment to remember what had happened. But when he did, he couldn't help but pound against the door, which didn't seem to have a handle. "Let me out! Let me out!" he yelled. "You can't do this to me!"

But when that didn't produce any results, he sat back on the cot in frustration. No good deed goes unheeded, he supposed. Of course, he was the one who'd taken the young Whitmore child, though he still wasn't sure why. He'd tried to figure that out with that counselor woman the night before, but everything was all just so mixed up in his head.

For the briefest of moments, he couldn't help but wonder if this was how that toddler had felt when he'd first woken up in the warehouse. Then he quickly dismissed the idea. There was no comparison. He was being wrongfully held against his will. This was so far from acceptable that he slammed his hands down on the cot, almost breaking it.

James couldn't help but feel this was unjust. He'd brought the child back, after all. It wasn't like he'd wanted to take him. Not to mention how he'd tried to care of the child when he'd started acting all weird on him. Shouldn't that count for something? He was the good guy! So why were they treating him like a criminal?

He shook his head. That reasoning wasn't completely right. He knew taking the boy had been wrong. He'd known that and still done it. Why was he complaining? He was getting exactly what he deserved. He should be locked up. It was only fair.

An almost manic laugh escaped his lips as he started to rock back and forth on the cot. What was wrong with him? He felt such a conflicting mix of emotions that he wasn't sure if he should be laughing or crying. If he was being honest, it almost felt like that one time he'd decided to go sober, only to be confronted with a bottle of cognac. How could he refuse the drink? Even knowing what it would do to him? Maybe he'd just gone and lost it.

The door opened and two people entered, one only vaguely familiar. The other was the boy's father. James couldn't help but continue to laugh in that almost nervous yet manic way. "I wondered when you'd come," he said between giggles. "I wondered how long it would take."

GoGo stared at the man with disgust. "Come on, Fred," she urged her friend. "This isn't going to get us anywhere." She'd been a bit surprised to wake up leaning against him on his bedroom couch. She'd been even more surprised when he'd insisted on confronting the man who'd taken Hiro, but she'd agreed to it. Now she wasn't so sure it had been a good idea after all.

"That's right," Fred said as he faced James. "I had to see the man who took Hiro away from us."

James seemed to consider that statement, the giggles still coming from his mouth, though his face looked far from amused. In fact, his expression showed a nervousness that was almost alarming. "Hiro? Is that his name? I wondered." He looked up with wide eyes, his pupils dilated, despite the overhead light.

Fred couldn't help but stare at this man as he continued to laugh and now mutter to himself. There was definitely something not right with this guy's head. He felt his muscles tense up all over again. Did this guy not feel any remorse at all? Was he even the least bit sorry for what he'd done? "Do you have any idea what you did to him?!" His hands balled up into fists at his sides.

GoGo couldn't help but notice the change in Fred's demeanor. She mentally smacked herself for allowing this. Sure, Heathcliff was just on the other side of the door, but shouldn't they have waited until some of the others could be there as well? This was clearly a very bad idea.

James continued to laugh, his body seeming to twitch. "What I did to him? What I did? What about what _he_ did?" He suddenly stood, looking more than willing to get in Fred's face. "Because of that kid, I'll never be able to find a moment's peace ever again!"

Fred lost it. He didn't even know why, but this guy just didn't seem capable of remorse. "How dare you!" he shouted as he launched himself on the man, pummeling him like he had the practice dummy only the night before. "How dare you say Hiro did this to you! HE! IS! A! HELPLESS! CHILD!" He punctuated each word with a punch to the man's face, chest, and back.

"Fred! Stop it!" GoGo ordered, more than a little appalled by his loss of control. "You're going to kill him!"

But Fred didn't seem able to hear her as he continued to punch the man who had taken his friend, his adoptive kid brother, and his leader. He couldn't control himself, nor did he want to. He just wanted to make this guy suffer for everything Hiro had suffered, for everything he'd suffered when Hiro had gone missing. He would not allow anyone to keep him from getting in those hits, from inflicting on him exactly what he deserved.

The door opened once more. "Master Frederick!" Heathcliff called out as he took a hold of his master by the chest, pulling him back from the man now pressed against the wall. "He's had enough."

Fred resisted, a red haze filling his vision as he stared at the man who had taken so much from him. "It will never be enough!" he yelled as he tried to get away, but his butler's strong arms prevented it.

The commotion seemed to draw the attention of several other people as Worf entered the room. It only took him a moment to understand what was going on. He quickly stepped in to help Heathcliff pull Fred from the room while Deanna Trio rushed in to make sure James was at least still breathing.

GoGo ducked out of the room as Fred continued to struggle against the two men holding him back. It had taken a lot to get Hiro to see reason after Tadashi's death, a jolt of emotion so raw it had countermanded the instigating shock of Callaghan's betrayal. She felt sure something like that was necessary here. So, without waiting for permission from anyone, she marched up to Fred and smacked him across the face as hard as she could. "Pull yourself together!" she shouted in his face.

Fred couldn't help but stare at her in shock, his limbs now hanging limply in the restraining arms of Worf and Heathcliff. He blinked a few times as he came back to himself, horror etching deep into his eyes at what he'd done.

Realizing the worst was over; the two bodyguards let him go. Fred, however, continued to stare in shock at what he'd done. He swallowed hard, his expression mirroring his inner turmoil. "I…" he hesitated, not sure what he wanted to say as his body sagged.

Not waiting for anything else to happen, GoGo moved in to give him as supporting a hug as possible. She wrapped her arms around his chest, holding on tight, as if he might fly apart again if she didn't. "It's okay," she whispered as his head hung over her shoulder. "It's okay. Let's get you cleaned up."

Slowly, she let go, only to take him by the hand. His knuckles were bloody from the blows he'd inflicted. She didn't want to know what kind of damage he'd inflicted on their detainee, not that she was worried about him right now. "Come on," she urged again. "Let's get out of here."

This time Fred responded to her urging. He turned away from the room where James was being detained, his head hanging in shame. Hand still in GoGo's, he followed her out of the adjoining room.

Sure Fred wouldn't' get into any more trouble, Worf nodded to the butler. "Perhaps it would be wise to summon Baymax to attend to our prisoner's wounds," he advised. He waited only long enough to confirm the butler thought the same before entering the cell.

* * *

When Heathcliff came to get Baymax, the robot seemed confused. Since the butler only stayed long enough to relay the request, he wasn't sure what all might be wrong. He glanced over at Data, who continued to help monitor Hiro's condition. "I do not feel comfortable leaving Hiro's side," he admitted. "However, if medical attention is necessary elsewhere, I feel an obligation to go."

Data contemplated that statement for a moment. "Would you prefer I go and see what medical treatment is required?" While Hiro's vitals remained stable, he did not blame the healthcare robot for not wanting to leave his side. He was, after all Baymax's primary patient.

That decision, however, was unnecessary to make as Worf carried the unconscious James into the medical room. He'd had a change of heart when he'd gone in to check on the counselor, only to hear that she thought it best they take the man directly to Baymax's care.

Data hastily set up another cot where the Klingon could place their new patient. "It does seem he is rather worse for wear," he commented as Worf slid the unconscious man into the narrow bed. "Would you mind telling us what happened?"

Baymax turned to assess his new patient, scanning him for injuries. There were obvious injuries on the surface where Fred's fists had managed to cut open the skin from the force of his blows, along with various bruises that were coming to light.

"Fred took it upon himself to teach this man a lesson," Worf said in answer to Data's question. "I do not know what may have triggered this reaction as he does not seem the type to attack wantonly."

Deanna stepped into the room. She'd followed them upstairs. "I detected strong emotions coming from Fred when you pulled him away," she admitted. "He seemed very distressed and unstable. Perhaps the emotions from last night finally overcame him and he gave in to his more base nature."

Baymax looked up at that. If what the counselor said was true, Fred could be considered to be in a state of extreme distress. He moved as if to go check in on the hero but stopped as he reevaluated the situation. James did indeed need medical attention. While none of the bones in his chest were broken, Fred had decidedly done a number on the man.

"Don't worry," Deanna soothed. "GoGo is with him right now. And I plan on going down in a little bit to see if he needs someone objective to talk to. In the meantime, I think I should inform the others of what has happened." She turned and left the room.

Data had, by this time, removed James' shirt so they could better evaluate his condition. "If you would advise me, I will help in treating this man's injuries," he said. At least the areas that had been covered by clothes seemed less intense, though the man would definitely feel it for some time. The bruises were decidedly deep.

Reminded of his current task, Baymax turned back to his current patient. "We need to disinfect the lacerations on his face and arms," he announced, indicating where Data might find the necessary equipment to do so. The man's nose was broken, though there wasn't too much he could do about that aside from applying tape to the bridge to try and maintain the shape while it healed.

Worf stood back while the two worked. Part of him could certainly understand why Fred had lost it with the man. But the manner in which it had occurred was far from honorable. He just wasn't sure on how wise it would be to inform the mascot of that fact.

Once the treatment was finished, James still out for the count with a mild concussion, Data volunteered to keep an eye on the man while Baymax returned his attentions to Hiro. The youth had begun to show signs of increased brain activity again. That after a period of low activity was enough to warrant constant monitoring.

* * *

After resting for who knew how long, Hiro couldn't help but feel like he was ready for anything. He stood from his reclining position and stretched. The visual representation of his brain seemed unchanged from his previous adventures, which was good. Whatever the others had done on the outside seemed to be keeping the extra stress at bay.

"Tadashi?" he called out, not immediately seeing his brother's form among the synapses and other connecting fibers.

Tadashi seemed to coalesce into existence before his eyes. "I'm right here," he assured. "You can't get rid of me that easily."

Hiro heaved a sigh of relief. "I wouldn't want to," he affirmed. Then he looked around once more. There were still so many strands to reconnect. That one filament from earlier had wiped him out and he glanced at it with distaste. He made a mental note to stay as far away from it as possible. "Guess I should get back to work," he admitted, although reluctantly. He just hoped there wouldn't be too many more surprises. He'd had enough to last several life times.

"Probably," Tadashi agreed. "Why don't you go for something small and easy to get started? I have a feeling your friends are currently occupied with other things right now. We don't need to bring them any undo alarm. Slow and steady should do it."

Hiro nodded. "Yeah. Slow and steady sounds good." He didn't feel the pain each memory brought at present, nor was he looking forward to it. But it had to be done. He looked around for a small fragment and headed towards the nearest one. He counted to three. "Let's do this," he said as he reached out and grabbed it.


	46. Just Drop It

Fred stared dejectedly at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. Not wanting to disturb Baymax, GoGo had led him to the same bathroom where she'd bandaged his nose only a few days ago. At least it wasn't his face she was worried about this time, he thought as his knuckles sat under the running water.

"I'm sorry," he apologized as he let his body sag against the sink's pedestal. "I know I shouldn't have done that. I just couldn't seem to help myself when I saw him just sitting there, laughing like some evil super villain."

GoGo pursed her lips as she gently pulled one of his hands out from under the water's stream. Blood still welled up a bit from the cuts he'd given himself. Chances were good she'd have to wrap his hands to completely cover them. "Stop," she admonished him. "Everyone loses it every now and again. It just shows how much you care for Hiro."

But Fred wasn't hearing any of it. "I lost control," he reminded. "I should never let that happen. Now I know why my dad wanted me to learn all that stuff back when I was a kid. 'You should never let yourself lose control,' he told me time and time again. And I didn't listen."

Careful to not cause further discomfort, GoGo gently dried Fred's hands on a towel. "You can't always control that kind of thing," she admonished, her expression also downcast. "It just sometimes happens. You can't take it back. The only thing you can do is try to be better. Now you know what triggers it. Work on controlling that."

Fred nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He looked down at his hands as she wrapped gauze around them, making sure to specifically cover his knuckles, which she'd applied antibacterial ointment to with a q-tip. "I guess we all have something we need to work on."

GoGo gave him a careful smile as she playfully punched him in the arm. "There you go. See? It's not all that bad. You learned something valuable and we learned where one of your buttons is. Now we can try and avoid it in the future."

"You can't have always been this calm about that kind of thing," Fred pressed as he turned to face her, his hands down at his sides now that she'd finished taping the gauze in place. "I mean, I know your personality. You're a fighter."

She gave him a somewhat wistful smile. "Yeah, and before I met Tadashi I had a reputation of beating up anyone who didn't agree with me," she informed him. "I asked him to keep that bit quiet though. I used to have quite the temper." She smiled at him almost ironically. It was common knowledge that she was still quite the spitfire.

"You used to beat people up? No!" Fred mock protested, sounding more like his usual self. He could actually picture her doing just that, small size and all. She was more than capable of it. It wouldn't surprise him if part of her reasoning behind that was because people had picked on her. It seemed a common thread with their group. The fact that she'd never really talked about her past before was not lost on him and he felt honored that she'd share that tidbit with him.

GoGo rolled her eyes. "Don't get all sentimental on me," she warned, threatening to punch him in the arm again. "Yes I was bullied as a kid but I lived through it and you can live through this, okay?"

Fred couldn't help but smile. It still hurt, knowing he'd wanted to take that guy out, that he was even capable of doing it. But GoGo was right. If he kept dwelling on it, he'd never overcome it. "Guess we should go see what the others are up to," he said.

GoGo turned her threatened punch into a shoulder cuff instead. "Yeah. Let's go." She reached out for his hand, intertwining her fingers with his as they left the bathroom together.

* * *

Wasabi couldn't help but stare incredulously at Fred over the breakfast table, regardless of how much the mascot was trying to ignore it. "What were you thinking?!" he admonished. It was bad enough that Hiro was out of commission, but to have Fred lose it on the man who was currently being detained by them, illegally, he might add… that was something else entirely. Now Baymax had two people to look after, which was far from fair.

Fred hung his head as he listened to the tirade thrown against him. He couldn't help but slink further down in his chair, his bowl of cereal completely forgotten. It was unfortunate that the hero had come in during the hurried explanation Trio gave Captain Picard. It was even worse that Wasabi felt he needed to take out his frustration on Fred, as if he didn't feel bad enough about things as they stood.

"That's hardly fair," Deanna spoke up as she observed the further dejected nature Fred exhibited. He knew what he'd done was wrong and Wasabi didn't need to rub it into his face.

GoGo took that opportunity to stand up and get right in Wasabi's face. "What she said. You weren't there, watching that lunatic all but spit in Fred's face. Of course he lost it! You would have too if you'd been in his shoes! So just drop it already."

It wasn't hard to see that GoGo was upset by this unwanted attention being thrown at Fred's feet. She chewed her gum furiously as she glared at her friend. This was far from helpful and part of her wanted to smack the sense back into the physics student, but she didn't. Instead, she turned away from him to rejoin Fred. "Just ignore him," she told Fred. "He wasn't there. He didn't see what happened. He has no right to judge."

Wasabi couldn't help but stare with wide eyes at this development. He spluttered his protests, trying to regain ground. "We can't just go losing it on every person who does something we don't' like!" he pressed.

"Wasabi," Deanna warned. "I think he sees your point. There's no need to further press the issue." She gave him a rather admonishing look that seemed to shut him down, though he still looked far from happy with this turn of events.

Picard scowled. "This is hardly the time to be laying blame and pointing fingers," he pointed out. "It's far from helpful. What's done is done. The man more than deserved it, if you ask me."

Deanna gave him a reproachful look. "Captain, that's far from helpful." She let out her breath as she evaluated the emotional states of everyone in the room. Q was still upstairs, out for the count. Worf was up there as well, in case he was needed. Baymax and Data were also still up there, attending to both patients. "What's done is done and it's not going to do anyone any good to keep bringing it up."

Fred gave her an appreciative glance, though he still looked rather down. "Somehow I just don't feel that hungry anymore," he confessed as he stood and left the room.

"Now see what you've done," GoGo snapped as she glared at Wasabi. "He already feels bad about what he did. Stop rubbing it in his face." She left the room right after she finished speaking.

Wasabi looked shocked by this development. "I don't see why they're so upset," he complained. "What Fred did was wrong. There's no excuse for it."

Deanna shook his head. "It's not that simple," she defended. "Unfortunately, I don't think it's something you won't understand until you have it happen to you. Excuse me." She wiped her lips free of crumbs with her napkin before leaving the room as well.

Picard closed his eyes. This was far from helpful, as the counselor had said. He could, to a point, understand both sides of the equation. But this pointless bickering wasn't helping anyone's morale. "Just let it be," he ordered impatiently. "Bringing it up over and over again is only going to cause more hurt feelings. I know you're only expressing what would be natural given the circumstances, but it's best to just leave it alone. Let them deal with it how they see fit. You have your own concerns to deal with as well."

It took Wasabi a moment to realize what he meant. But when he did, he couldn't help but look up with a mix of surprise and misgiving. "Oh." He looked chagrined for his earlier outburst.

"Oh is right," Picard replied as he calmly sipped his tea. "The best course of action is to not judge how each member of your team is dealing with the stress of the situation we all find ourselves in. They are dealing with it in their own way. You should do the same, before it tears you all apart."

Wasabi looked more than a little contrite as he realized just what the captain meant. He had been quite harsh with Fred, not pausing to take into consideration all the variables. Physics were a lot easier to deal with than people's emotions and he was still coming to terms with how to deal with confrontational situations. Everything had just flown off the usual radar to such a point that he wasn't sure how to deal with it anymore. He supposed the others felt the same.

The physicist let out a sigh. "You're right," he admitted quietly. "I was out of line. Guess I'd better go and find him to apologize."

"You do that," Picard advised as he picked up a croissant and buttered it.

* * *

Q finally woke up after what had to be one of the most restful sleeps he'd had while in human form. There was something to be said about not being guard-dogged by a Klingon. The moment he sat up, however, he had to take that thought back as he noticed Worf glaring in his general direction. "Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," he grumped at the glaring man.

Worf merely rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the other man in the room. Data didn't count, under the circumstances, simply because he wasn't doing anything stupid, nor was he likely to do so. "How long is this one going to remain unconscious?" he gruffly asked the healthcare robot.

Baymax looked up from observing his primary patient long enough to perform a quick scan of James. "I do not know," he admitted. There didn't seem to be any brain damage, no swelling of the man's brain or anything else to cause concern. Chances were good he was just exhausted. "I did detect residual energy coming from him when he was first brought here," he added. "Perhaps that contributed to his current state."

It took Q a moment to realize what was going on as he got up from his borrowed cot and walked over to the man who had "borrowed" his powers. "Is this the ape that dared use my gift in ways I would never condone?" He turned his look of disdain to the man on the other cot, mildly surprised at the condition of his foe. "Who did this?" he asked as he looked up in shock.

Data moved around him to apply a new dressing to one of the unconscious man's many cuts. "Fred took out his frustration on him," he informed. "Now, if you would please move, I am trying to cover this laceration."

Q snorted at the mental image of the tall and gangly mascot beating this man into unconsciousness. He somehow just couldn't see it happening. "Why not leave him as he is? It would serve him right. Those were my powers he used. I think the punishment fits the crime."

"That is not for you to decide," Worf retorted, though part of him agreed. However, it wasn't Q's place to decide what was and wasn't fair. It was his place to be silent and stay out of the way. Nor was it Worf's place to decide, but that was neither here nor there.

With a bit of a huff, Q rolled his eyes dramatically. "Well, fine. Be that way. I don't need your opinion on the matter. Besides, I'm hungry." With that, he marched out of the room in search of breakfast.

"Perhaps I should go keep an eye on him," Worf stated. Who knew what other troubles the alien could get himself into if left to his own devices? That said, the Klingon went after the man in question, leaving Baymax and Data to watch over their two patients.

* * *

"I think I'm finally getting the hang of this," Hiro admitted as the latest memory fragment connected to his neural pathways. The last strand hadn't been that bad. There had been next to no pain involved, which was a nice change in things. Of course, the memory in question involved him working on his showcase project and didn't involve anything really to cause alarm.

Tadashi flicked him in the forehead. "Just because you got an easy one this time doesn't mean you're getting the hang of it," he warned. "You never know how your body's going to react to any given memory. You still have some challenging ones coming up so don't let your guard down."

Hiro gave him the once over eye roll, followed by the typical "whatever" expression. He _was_ getting the hang of it and there was nothing Tadashi could say to convince him otherwise. "So, any updates from the outside?" He glanced up expectantly this time.

With a bemused sigh, Tadashi rubbed at the back of his neck. "Nothing you should really worry about."

By his tone, Hiro knew Tadashi was holding something back. The fact that his somewhat hallucinatory rendition of Tadashi was capable of such a thing was more than a little unnerving. "Come on!" he complained, knocking his shoulder into his brother's chest. "Tell me!"

Old habits died hard. It was a tactic he'd used on his brother many a time to get him to divulge some little tidbit or other. Usually such tidbits were juicy in nature, especially with the way his brother was acting. There had to be something entertaining going on that Tadashi just didn't want to share.

Tadashi smiled knowingly. Hiro, if nothing else, was always predictable when it came to such things. "You sure you really want to know?" he teased, presenting Hiro with the mental image of someone dangling a carrot in front of a hungry rabbit.

"Seriously?" he asked his older brother. "You know I do!" He could imagine himself as that little rabbit, hopping up over and over again to reach that tasty carrot, only to have Tadashi teasingly hold it just out of reach each time. "Come on!"

Deciding his brother had had enough teasing, he gave his brother a knuckle sandwich before breaking down. "Alright, fine. From what I can tell, Fred chose to give your kidnapper a run for his money."

Hiro couldn't help but look shocked. "Fred? As in the comic book otaku with the lizard fetish? That Fred?" He didn't know if he could believe it, not unless he saw it with his own eyes.

"Oh, it's true," Tadashi smiled, still in the teasing mood. "Everything I've overheard suggests he really took the guy to town. Now, of course, all I'm relating is rumors I've heard through your ears, mostly from the one called Worf, so there might be a lot of details missing."

The idea left Hiro speechless. Fred, the ever cheerful, playful, generally non-violent mascot had taken it out on his kidnapper? Well, if he really thought about it, it wasn't outside the realm of possibility. After all, Hiro had wanted to completely destroy Callaghan when he'd realized what the man had done. He supposed it was something similar. But if that were the case, that meant his feelings towards Hiro were more than just friendship. And no, he wasn't thinking about romance. But to know that Fred saw him not as just a leader, but as family, was a lot to take in.

"See?" Tadashi ribbed playfully, giving him a gentle noogie. "I told you your friends saw you as something more than just a whiny kid. And I know you feel the same way."

Hiro gave him a wry look. "Fine. You win," he conceded. "I thought we already went over that though."

Tadashi rolled his eyes this time. "I figured you needed the reminder with something more concrete. You should ask him about it later, once this all blows over. I'm sure he'll only confirm what I've told you."

The sigh Hiro released was heavy with bemusement. "You're just trying to butter me up, aren't you?" It wouldn't be unlike his brother to try and soften things for him, knowing potential worse things were ahead.

"I'm just looking out for my little brother," Tadashi countered. "You know I'm proud of you. Your friends are too. And so is Aunt Cass. Now show us what you can do and get back to reconnecting those memories into that big brain of yours."

Hiro couldn't help but chuckle at his brother's tone. "Fine! Fine! I'm going! I'm going!" He reached out for another strand, hoping this one would be just as easy as the last one.

* * *

Honey Lemon had missed something. She knew she had. When she'd gone down to breakfast, she'd only found Picard and Wasabi in the breakfast room. And neither was talking. But there was evidence to suggest the others had been in there relatively recently. She just didn't know where they'd gone. She'd asked Wasabi but he seemed inclined to be sulky. Then Q had shown up and she gave up on the idea of asking.

She sat down after taking a serving of fruit and toast. The coffee had cooled down a bit so she passed on that. Despite the night having been late, she'd slept in a little and wasn't as tired as she'd otherwise be. But, after consuming her food, she felt a little uncomfortable with Wasabi's continued attitude. Aside from which, she'd wanted to check in with GoGo and Deanna about a few things so she quickly left after finishing.

After looking around at the usual places, Honey came up empty on finding either of her friends. Debating a bit, she decided to look in the less obvious places and headed to the combative practice room. There, she saw not only GoGo and Deanna, but Fred as well. "I was wondering where you all were," she spoke up.

Fred and GoGo were practicing with one of the dummies. Honey noticed another practice dummy lay pushed to one side. It was in decided need of repairing. Deanna sat on a folding chair, observing the two combatants. What Honey didn't expect to see was the gauze bandages covering Fred's hands. That and he just didn't seem that into practicing, holding the dummy so GoGo could take out her wrath on it.

Hearing her initial inquiry, Deanna looked over and smiled. "Why don't you join me?" she suggested, indicating a second folding chair against the wall.

Honey retrieved the chair and brought it to Deanna's side, where she set it up and sat down. "I thought everyone would be in the breakfast room," she confessed. "But when I got there, I only found Wasabi and Picard. Q joined before I left, but Wasabi seemed out of sorts."

Deanna couldn't help but look a bit troubled at that, though she quickly masked it over with a smile. "There was a little disagreement this morning," she explained. "Fred got in a fight and Wasabi didn't approve."

The chemist glanced over at Fred once more, her eyes wide. "Is that why his hands are bandaged? Who did he fight?" It wasn't entirely out of the realm of possibility, though it still felt somehow so out of character with what she knew about him.

"James," Deanna answered, still watching the two as they continued to pummel the dummy. "The man who kidnapped Hiro," she clarified, realizing Honey hadn't heard the man's name. "Fred went to confront him early this morning and both of them snapped. James, unfortunately, got the worst of it physically. Fred, on the other hand, seems to have taken it more emotionally. I'm sure the outburst surprised him as much as it did anyone else."

Honey couldn't help but put one hand to her mouth in shock. "Oh no," she whispered. "Just what happened? Will he be okay?"

Deanna shook her head. "Only time will tell," she admitted. "Fred has a pretty good grasp of why it happened, though I'm sure he's still feeling ashamed about it. It doesn't help that Wasabi voiced his deep disapproval. But I believe this experience has helped Fred understand Hiro a bit better. That and it seems to have drawn him and GoGo closer together as well."

At her comment, Honey took a closer look at her two friends. While Fred did seem more despondent than usual, there was decidedly something different about him. She'd already begun to suspect an attachment had formed between the two. But watching GoGo, she couldn't help but feel that what Deanna had told her was true.

GoGo appeared to be purposely trying to draw Fred out, and not in a violent way. Well, maybe in a violent way, but not for the sake of ripping on him or teasing him in a mean way. She kept throwing him concerned looks, mixed in the words Honey couldn't hear. It was obvious, however, that her attitude towards him had somehow changed.

After a few more minutes of sparing with the dummy, GoGo gave Fred a few playful punches before putting an arm around his shoulders in an almost protective manner. She didn't bother removing her arm when she looked up and saw they had an audience. Instead, she gave Honey a bit of a look before pulling Fred over. "Something happen?" she asked as the two came closer.

Honey wasn't sure what to say at first as she stared at the two heroes. "I just wanted to check in on you two," she finally admitted. GoGo still had the bandage on her face, even if the one on Fred's nose had been removed. "I know last night got really intense there for a moment and I'd heard you wanted some space. I just wanted to make sure you're both okay."

Fred pulled away from GoGo a bit, whether from embarrassment or something else, it was anyone's guess. "Yeah, sorry about that," he sighed, running a hand across the back of his neck. "I let my emotions get the better of me. It won't happen again."

"Will you stop it?" GoGo demanded as she glared up at him. "Haven't you been listening to a word I've said? It doesn't matter what Wasabi said. He wasn't there. He doesn't know what happened."

Honey couldn't help but blink in confusion, her hands clasped together. "Then why don't you tell me what happened? All I've heard are the basic details everyone else who wasn't there told me."

Realizing her friend was in the dark, GoGo proceeded to tell her exactly what had happened in the room with James. She didn't mind that Deanna seemed intent on the details as well. It had to be let out sometime. Now was as good as any. That and it allowed her to defend Fred's actions, something he still seemed ashamed over.

"Given the circumstances," Deanna spoke up once GoGo had finished, "I can completely understand Fred's actions. What I'm not sure about is why James behaved in that manner. It's completely opposite of his behavior the night before. Perhaps the strain of all that's happened to him finally made him snap."

Honey looked at the counselor with surprise and concern. "What do you mean? Do you think it's because of his guilt? Or something else?"

"I don't really care why he snapped," GoGo interjected. "What I care about is what happens to our team." She gave Fred a meaningful glance as she spoke. "You don't mess with our family and expect not to have something happen in return."

Deanna stood from her chair, cradling her broken arm. It was feeling better than before but still ached. "That's not exactly the best attitude towards this situation," she admonished. "What I mean is it's entirely possible James was suffering from some kind of substance withdrawal. From my initial interview, I gathered that he's abused various substances throughout his life. With that in mind, can you imagine the intoxicating feeling of power even a small portion of Q's energy could give a person? And then to have that power taken away again? It would cause even the sanest of people some kind of breakdown. It's a very intoxicating feeling."

GoGo gave her a disbelieving look. "Are you saying this James guy got addicted to Q's power? But how is that even possible? I mean, how can you know what it feels like? Have you ever had his powers before?"

"No," Deanna confessed, but held up her hand to stop any further comments. "But I do know someone who has. Will, the first officer on our ship, was given the power of the Q as a test. He found the ability to essentially become a god quite intoxicating. And while he voluntarily refused the powers in the end, they still left an impact that couldn't easily be dismissed."

Fred nodded at that, showing his first interest in the conversation since coming over. "I can understand that," he agreed. "Though I don't have any idea what Q's power feels like. But if it's anything like what I felt last night, I can understand how it might cause problems later on. It doesn't just leave you all at once."

The counselor nodded in agreement. "No, it doesn't, which is why he snapped. As a substance abuser, he didn't know how to deal with the inability to "get his fix" anymore. Most people who go through withdrawals from a harmful substance tend to have periods of intense emotion, including moments of insanity. It's also possible that Q's energy was having a last laugh at him."

"That doesn't sound very nice of it," Honey commented. "I suppose if I were in his position, I'd probably have acted in the same way." She glanced over at Fred, trying to mentally tell him she understood and didn't blame him for what had happened. "I'm sure if Wasabi had things explained to him, he'd understand too."

But Fred shook his head. "I still lost control and I shouldn't have let that happen. I thought that by letting it all out last night I'd be okay. But I guess not."

GoGo looked downcast as she gently touched his bandaged hand. "No one could have known what would happen," she reminded. "The best thing to do is to accept what happened and move on. Try to do better next time. That's all any of us can do, right?" She glanced up at Deanna for confirmation.

Deanna smiled. "That's exactly what I would suggest," she confirmed.


	47. Waiting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And back to some cute toddler Hiro!

The morning seemed more than a little tense as the intrepid heroes and their guests waited on events. Thanks to some counseling from Deanna, Fred and GoGo had a nice chat with Wasabi, who was now at least more willing to admit Fred hadn't completely lost his marbles. Honey felt better about the situation all around, though she still wondered if there might be some repercussions from recent events.

James had regained consciousness and was returned to his holding room. Everyone involved thought it would be best to leave him alone for a while to cool down. He'd woken in a mood no one wanted to deal with. It had taken both Data and Worf to return him to the room he'd been sequestered for the previous night. He was less likely to get into trouble that way. Baymax had confirmed this was probably the best course of action as he didn't feel it would be wise to sedate the man in his current state.

Q decided to intrude on Baymax's territory and parked himself on the spare cot he'd used to sleep on the night before. He'd refused to move when confronted. And, after some consideration, Picard ordered Worf to leave him alone. He wasn't hurting anyone. In fact, he seemed content to just stare at Hiro, who still remained unconscious on the examination table, all the tubes and wires making him look smaller than he actually was.

Picard, for his part, decided there wasn't much they could do until Hiro's condition changed, so he returned to the library to finish his book. He didn't know if he'd be given any other chances to do so and wanted to take every advantage possible. After all, he wouldn't be able to take the book with him when all was said and done.

And Honey went to work with her chemistry set. It at least gave her something to do as she worked on perfecting her various formulas. That and it kept her in close proximity to the medical room in case Baymax or Data needed her assistance. She couldn't help but feel a need to keep checking in on Hiro, like if she didn't he might disappear on them or something. Or she'd miss something important.

The two Doctors had disappeared into one of their TARDISes to try and figure things out. One of them kept muttering about finding a way to collect the energy without hurting the vessel, though why he said that was beyond any of the heroes. There were still too many unanswered questions and no real way to find the answers. They both suspected things but weren't ready to voice them just yet.

In this state, the morning turned into afternoon with little change. Except that James seemed to calm down enough for the counselor to get some semblance of sense out of him, enough to understand how Q's energy had come to him in the first place. However, any explanation of what happened after that became impossible as James seemed to snap back into a less stable mental state, almost as if he'd been pushed past his limit. Perhaps he had.

Thanks to some contacts through Heathcliff, they decided it would be best to transfer James to a mental facility where he could be more closely monitored. The head psychologist there was friends with the butler and promised to relay any information that might be helpful. That way none of the Heroes had to worry about their identities becoming compromised. And since Heathcliff had performed similar services for Fred's father, no one suspected it had anything to do with his son.

The afternoon slowly ate away the time and those gathered at the Whitmore Manor became understandably more anxious as time went by. The Doctors still had not emerged. Picard grew bored of his book. Fred and GoGo returned from a long drive, only to hit the gym with a vengeance. Wasabi opted to join them, along with Worf. Q stayed in the medical room with Baymax and Data, with the addition of Counselor Trio. To say the tension was mounting would have been an understatement.

"Vitals remain stable," Data announced. With only one patient, things became much easier on the two medical attendants. The unfortunate thing was that not much had changed since the morning. Hiro's brain waves remained steadily active, despite the proprofol running in his system. The only difference was there were occasional dips in activity, potentially signaling either the completion of a memory integration or a period of mental rest for the youth.

Baymax had just finished cleaning out Hiro's feeding tube, injecting 5cc of water to reduce the risk of clogs. At least the nourishment seemed to be helping. Hiro's complexion had returned to a more normal color. And with the IV dripping away, the healthcare bot could safely say the boy was no longer dehydrated. He just had no way of knowing when the memory reintegration was complete, nor how much longer it would take. But he kept careful watch over all of Hiro's vitals, waiting for the slightest change to signify the need to at least reduce the medication keeping him under.

The device the Doctor had made still sat on the counter closest to Hiro's head. And it seemed to continue to do whatever it was supposed to. There were no more spikes of energy, though both Data and Baymax knew it would eventually have to be turned off. While the android was not as familiar with the process of Hiro becoming a vessel for any type of energy, he had hypothesized all manner of ways to try and contain the high probability that Hiro would self-combust from the sheer amount of energy he would have to hold. So far they hadn't come up with anything concrete.

The truth of the matter was that in Hiro's current physical state, there was no way his body could handle that amount of energy. Despite this, the energy seemed to continue to gather above the manor, almost as if called. But the device kept it from converging on the youth. And until they figured out a way to return Hiro to his more normal form, they both wanted to keep things that way.

The monitor attached to Hiro's chest gave an unusual jump on the readout line, causing both robot and android to refocus their attention on their patient. "This is most unusual," Data announced when it happened again.

Hiro's pulse had remained steady and rather sedate. But now it exhibited the occasional burst of abnormal activity. Baymax quickly scanned the boy for any other irregularities. When he could find none, he turned to look at his companion. "I cannot explain this phenomenon," he confessed.

Another particularly strong pulse lit up the EKG screen. This was followed by several other intermittent spikes. Data studied them for the briefest of moments. "Perhaps Hiro is trying to exert control over his body once more," he theorized. "Should I decrease the flow of proprofol?"

Baymax contemplated that theory for a moment. Part of him wondered how they'd be able to tell when Hiro was ready to wake up. Perhaps now was as good a time as any to find out. If he was ready, his vitals should remain stable once the drug had run its course, something that should happen fairly quickly. If not, Hiro's brain would probably swell once more. Either way, it wasn't a bad idea to make sure. "Yes," he finally answered the android. "Please discontinue the flow."

Data made the appropriate adjustment, ready to return the flow should Baymax deem it necessary. "How long will it take for the drug to no longer affect his system?" he inquired.

The robot accessed his memories for the information before answering. "We should see changes in approximately one hour," he replied. It would likely take only half that time for the drug to run its course, but the effects might last longer, sometimes between twelve and twenty-four hours. But he would monitor Hiro closely the entire time just to be sure.

* * *

Hiro couldn't help but feel like a surfacing swimmer caught underwater for far too long as he let go of the last memory. It had decidedly been intense. In fact, his entire body seemed to tingle with memory, even though it had safely reintegrated with the rest of him. Definitely not one of his favorites. He could still remember the acrid taste of the serum Tadashi had essentially forced down his throat after he'd fallen down the stairs.

The fact that the memory hadn't fragmented was another interesting factor. He'd gone through the whole process of chemical re-calibration without interruption, complete from irate temper to sobbing mess in record time. And the sensations were just as unpleasant the second time around as they had been the first time.

Hiro shuddered as if to dispel the awful taste from his mouth. "I never want to taste that stuff ever again!" he declared as Tadashi watched him cautiously. "Never again."

"How do you feel?" Tadashi hazarded as he glanced at his baby brother. "No adverse reactions? No side effects?"

At first Hiro wasn't really sure what to make of his brother's comments. But then it dawned on him. This had been the last one, outside of that one tendril he'd vowed to avoid at all costs. He still had no idea what it represented; just that he didn't want to touch it. He took a moment to evaluate himself, running a full system's check. "I think I'm okay," he finally answered.

Tadashi seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at that. "Good. I've been trying to signal those outside that you're just about ready to wake up," he informed. "I think they've made the necessary preparations. But that still leaves us to figure out what to do once that happens."

Hiro gave his brother a rather confused look, not sure what he meant by that. "What do you mean?" he finally asked hesitantly. "I figured once we'd finished this, and I woke up, everything would go back to normal."

With a shake of his head, Tadashi sighed. "Not quite. Out there, you're still the size of a toddler, remember? You and I both know that to successfully collect Q's energy, you're going to have to find a way to return to your normal form."

It took Hiro a moment, but he realized the problem. "Okay," he said. "So, here's a question for you, if I need to be my usual teenage self to collect the energy, why did it turn me back into a toddler?"

That seemed to make Tadashi think as well. He put one hand to his chin as he thought about it. "Going off of what I know about the human body, I'd have to say it was because younger children's brains are more malleable. It would make it easier on your mind to reintegrate all of those memories to return to a less set period of your life. My guess is that if you hadn't been transformed to a younger age, your mind and body couldn't have handled the process."

"Well then," Hiro said, awkwardly clearing his throat. "Do you think that energy will return me to my normal form?" Part of him really doubted it, but he wanted to hold on to the possibility. After all, it had gotten him into this mess. It really should get him out of it.

But Tadashi shook his head. "I don't think it's going to be that easy," he countered. "The energy has been gathering around you, waiting to come inside, in a manner of speaking. I don't think it's going to do anything else to change you from your current state. That's all on you."

Hiro couldn't help but pout at that. "Really? The least it could do is at least give me a hint! The universe can't really be planning on leaving it all up to me! It's impossible! There's no way I can make my body grow back to its usual age in only a matter of hours! And I don't want to contemplate what will happen if everyone has to wait for me to grow up all over again. That would suck!"

"Maybe you're thinking about this all the wrong way," Tadashi stated. "Maybe you should look for a new angle. I don't think the universe would leave you without a solution. It goes against the flow of logic."

Rolling his eyes, Hiro slumped to the figurative ground. "Thanks a lot. That's so helpful," he quipped. "I'll just go ask the universe to tell me the answer!" He fell back so that he was now lying down. "You know it's not going to happen."

But Tadashi wasn't having any of that. "This isn't time for a pity party," he admonished as he grabbed his brother by the waist and threw him over his shoulder so that he now held him upside down by the ankles.

"What are you doing?!" Hiro protested as his brother jigged him up and down, making him bounce like bait on a string.

Tadashi only smiled. "Shake things up! Look for a new angle!" he reminded. "Think you're way out of it."

Images flashed in Hiro's mind, newly reintegrated memories, older memories. There had to be a pattern in there somewhere, something he could use. If only he could just see it.

* * *

"Heart beat is increasing," Baymax announced as he continued to monitor his patient. "Respirations also increasing." If the signs were correct, Hiro was indeed coming out of the coma. And, thankfully, there was no swelling of the brain, though the activity didn't abate. The only real concerning matter was the fact that Hiro's temperature hadn't yet gone back to normal. It was still elevated enough to cause some concern.

Data confirmed the readings on the monitors and with his tricorder. "Progress remains stable," he informed. "I believe we may, as the saying goes, be out of the woods."

The healthcare bot watched as Hiro's muscles began to twitch, mostly in his fingers and toes. That was a good sign. It meant his motor pathways remained intact. No more than twenty minutes had passed since they'd cut off the proprofol, which meant Hiro's body might be burning through the remains of the drug at a much faster than anticipated rate. In a way, it wasn't entirely surprising, given the circumstances, but it still gave rise to a need for constant monitoring.

Q took that opportunity to jump up from his perch on the far cot. "Looks like he'll live another day," he quipped. "Perhaps someone should tell the others he's waking up. I'm sure they'll be overjoyed."

Not sure about his tone, Data glanced up in confusion. "Though your words indicate potential joy at Hiro's improving condition, your tone denotes otherwise. Are you happy he is regaining consciousness or are you being facetious?"

The man in question snorted. "While I care nothing for the whelp, the fact that he will soon be able to return my energy to me is of monumental importance to me, as it should be to you and the rest of your crew. It means you'll all soon be able to go home and I can be rid of your odious company."

With that said, it wasn't hard to see Q's point, as repugnant as it was. "Ah," Data replied, though part of him couldn't quite believe Q had no other feelings on the matter. "Perhaps it would be wise to wait, then, before informing the others. At least until Hiro has regained consciousness."

"That's probably a good idea," the bow-tied Doctor said as he entered the room, his companion right behind him. "While regaining motor functions is a good sign, it's probably best to wait until we see what state of mind he wakes in."

Baymax blinked at the Doctor in confusion. "I do not understand," he admitted as he watched the man circle around to the other side of the examination table. "The propofol should not alter his mental stability."

The other Doctor moved to stand next to Baymax. "What he means to say is that memory integration is always a tricky thing. We shouldn't go celebrating until we're sure he's returned to his normal mental state."

"I tend to agree," Troi added as she entered the room as well. She'd left to take care of a quick personal errand that had ended up taking a bit longer than anticipated, mostly due to her brace. It made some things more difficult. "When a patient first wakes from a coma, it's best not to overwhelm them. That and his brain has gone through a great deal of change during this whole process. While I'm sure his personality hasn't undergone any change, we still have to hold to the possibility of his mental regression. Let's not overwhelm him any more than is absolutely necessary."

At that moment, Hiro began to make more noticeable movements with his body. His tiny arms moved to rub at his eyes, rubbing his arm wrapped with gauze to keep the IV in place so that it threatened the catheter.. Baymax gently took that hand into his own so he wouldn't dislodge the catheter too soon. "Hiro? Can you hear me?" he inquired softly.

Hiro's other hand went to the tube coming from his nose. Deanna moved to take hold of that hand so he wouldn't displace it. He made little groaning noises in the back of his throat, his little harms trying to pull free from the hands that held them. Then his eyes opened, blinking rapidly as if to clear his vision. "Max?" His voice sounded gravely, as if with extreme disuse or partial constriction.

"Hello, Hiro," Baymax responded. "How do you feel?" He continued to hold his patient's gauze-covered hand, just to be safe. He wasn't ready to remove the line just yet.

Hiro squinted due to what seemed, at least to him, bright light. "Yucky," he answered quickly. "So bwight," he added as he tried to pull his hand free from Deanna's so he could shade his eyes.

Sensing he wasn't going to try and pull at the feeding tube, Deanna let his hand go so he could shade his eyes. "He does have a point," she admitted. "To someone who hasn't opened his eyes in some time, it would be considered bright in here." She then turned her attention back to Hiro. "Don't worry. Your eyes will adjust in a little while."

The small boy turned his head towards her. "Twoi?" he inquired. "Dat you? whewe evone else?" He tried to clear his vision enough to see beyond the haze of light but his eyes weren't cooperating just yet. He still felt more than a little groggy. And his head hurt.

"Perhaps Hiro feels yucky because he is need of a diaper change," Data hypothesized. There was the unmistakable smell of urine in the air, though he doubted his human counterparts could detect it. Their noses were not as sensitive.

The Doctors pulled back a bit, giving the others some room. "Looks like his short term memory is intact, at least," the bow-tied one commented to the other. "He's able to recognize those immediately around him. That's good."

While Data took care of diaper duty, Baymax performed a more in-depth scan, just to be safe. "Your vital signs have returned to normal," he told the tot. "However, you seem to be experiencing a lingering fever. You will likely feel weak and disoriented while your body regains its strength. I would like to keep you here to monitor for other potential side effects."

That didn't sit too well with Hiro as he folded his little arms over his chest. The motion pulled at some of the leads attached to his chest and he resisted the urge to scratch at them. The adhesive was a bit irritating to his young skin. "No want stay," he protested. "Want you fix me! Want be big again!"

Deanna took that opportunity to distract the irate boy. "Hiro, listen," she soothed, running a hand through his hair, "Baymax only wants to make sure you're okay before you go back to your usual activities. And we're still trying to figure out a way to return you to your normal form. Give it some time. You've been unconscious for several days now. Be patient."

Hiro let out his breath in agitation. There were so many things he still needed to do. He had no way of knowing what all had happened while he'd been out of it. Apparently a lot had happened, if he was any judge of things. That and Tadashi's comments echoed in his mind of the whispered things that had happened. It was best to take things in stride. But he still had to figure out a way to return things to normal. "Fine," he pouted. "No mowe tubes? Pweeze, Max? Take off?" He gave Baymax the full on puppy dog expression.

Q chose that moment to leave the room. He didn't say where he was going, though he looked like a man on a mission. The two Doctors decided to follow him out, just to be safe.

"I do not believe removing the feeding tube and IV would be advisable at this time," Data spoke up, looking directly at Baymax. "However, as Hiro has regained consciousness, and seems aware of himself and those around him, it might not be inadvisable to remove the monitor leads. I believe your abilities will be enough to monitor his vital signs."

Baymax seemed to contemplate this suggestion, as well as the emotional state of his young charge. "I believe you are correct," he stated. He turned to Deanna. "Counselor, would you please remove the leads?"

Feeling a bit taken aback for being singled out for this purpose, Deanna wasn't sure what to say at first, other than that she wasn't medically trained. However, upon further reflection, she could understand why Baymax had requested she do it. Gently, she peeled the adhesive pads from Hiro's forehead and chest. They left behind reddish blotches where the adhesive had stuck to his skin.

"Itchy," Hiro complained as he went to rub at one of the spots. It had pulled at the skin, despite Trio trying to be careful.

Baymax decided it would be best to apply some anti-itching medication to the afflicted spots and proceeded to do so, dispensing it through the small nozzle built into his finger. "Is that better?" he inquired. "It is likely your skin will remain sensitive for some time."

Hiro nodded. "Bettew. Can I has juice?" He looked pleadingly up at his healthcare companion. "Pweeze?"

"I do not believe that is advisable," Data supplied for the robot. "You have only recently been fed through the tube running through your nasal passages. I do not believe your stomach can handle the added volume at this time." He looked sympathetic enough that Hiro felt slightly appeased, though not completely.

Deanna gave Hiro a once over with her emphatic senses. "Why don't we take things slow," she suggested. "You've only just woken up and it wouldn't do to overdo things. Perhaps you might consider taking a nap."

But the toddler gave her a look. "No nap! Not tiwed!"

The woman smiled down at the young boy. "Alright, if you don't want to take a nap, what would you like to do?" While Hiro would be, understandably, limited in his current state, she thought it important to allow him some sense of independence.

Hiro felt the tube attached to his face, though he didn't pull on it. He wasn't that puerile. He was happy to note it wasn't currently attached to anything, leaving only the IV line to keep him from doing anything overly physically active. But that wasn't insurmountable either, especially if the saline bag was attached to a moveable stand. "Want walk!"

"I do not believe that is possible at the moment," Baymax confessed. "Your body is still recovering from your previous state."

Deanna shook her head at that. "Will it really hurt to let him try?" she asked the robot. "It might help improve his overall mood, which is essential in recovery. At the very least, it will show him the limitations of his current state."

Hiro looked from face to face. Now that his eyes had adjusted to the light, he could see them clearly. "Pweeze, Max? Wet me twy?"

Baymax looked into Hiro's pleading eyes for several long seconds. "I see your point," he finally admitted, looking back up at the counselor. "All right. You may try."

This announcement seemed to fill the boy with excitement as he pushed himself to a sitting position. The effort had more behind it than he cared to admit but he was tired of being essentially trapped in one form or another. Time would tell if that was a wise decision or not, but for the moment, he didn't care.

"Allow me," Data offered as he reached out his hands to lift the tot from the table. He then bent at the knee to set Hiro on his feet on the hard ground. He kept his hands firmly in place around Hiro's waist until he felt certain he would not immediately lose his balance.

Not having used his limbs for a few days, and with everything else that had happened, Hiro wasn't quite prepared for what happened next. He tried to take a tiny step forward, only to have his knees buckle under him. He almost cried out but didn't as the android reached to help him back up. He put out a hand to stop him. "No. Me do it."

Hiking his little rear into the air, Hiro used the table as a sort of ballast to regain his feet. His knees still shook as he tried again. For whatever reason, his balance suddenly felt far from sure. This would totally suck if he had to learn how to walk all over again. He took another step forward, one tiny hand against the table for support. He managed two more steps before his limbs gave out once more.

Hiro let out a little sound of frustration as he went to his knees, tiny fists pressing against the floor. This wasn't how things were supposed to go. It might only be a temporary setback but it left him feeling even less in control, which wasn't a nice feeling.

"It's going to be fine," Deanna soothed as she bent to his level. "We can try again later. It will likely take a while for you to regain your strength. Don't push harder than you need to, all right?"

Tears welled up in Hiro's eyes. He couldn't help it. He was still completely unable to control things around him and it sucked. They had to fix this and fast. The question remained: how? But he'd be lying if he said the effort hadn't drained him. He offered little protest when Baymax lifted him up into his arms. "There, there," the robot said softly. "It will be all right."

Without thinking, Hiro plopped the last three fingers of his gauze-covered hand in his mouth, only to switch at the taste and texture. He wasn't happy about that one bit. Despite the supposed amount of sleep he'd previously gotten, he couldn't help but feel the pull of gravity against his eyelids. The fact that Baymax was gently bouncing him up and down didn't help. Before he knew it, Hiro'd slipped back into a more natural sleep.

Sensing his patient had dozed off once more, Baymax gently set him back on the bed. "Perhaps it would be wise to let him rest," he observed.

"That's probably best," Deanna agreed. "I'm going to go tell the others of our progress." That said, she turned and left the room, leaving Data and Baymax with the sleeping boy.

* * *

Q strode down the stairs after leaving the medical room. Hiro was on the mend, it would seem, which meant he needed to figure out how to help him get his powers back. It was obvious the boy was the key to everything. The question was how did one turn that key?

The two Doctors continued to follow the man as he exited the manor, heading for the backyard. Sure he wasn't going to run for it once more, they settled near one of the benches to see just what the alien had in mind. They relaxed a bit when the man started pacing back and forth.

Q took a few turns around the courtyard before turning on the two Time Lords, not the least surprised that they'd followed him. "I take it you haven't figured out a way to return him to normal, have you," he stated. His expression clearly showed he doubted they had. "I don't want to be stuck this way forever, and my powers won't stick around forever either. That same force that took them from me will scatter them again after a while."

The blue-clad Doctor had to nod. "You make a good point," he agreed. "Whatever cosmic force saw fit to take them from you likely won't let them stay around for long, which is why we've been racking our brains for ideas on what to do. It's clear that Hiro _can_ handle it in his normal form, but how do we get him to return to it? Your powers aren't going to help, it would seem. If they were, it would have happened by now."

The multi-dimensional traveler frowned because what the Time Lord had said was true. If his powers were going to help out any more, they would have done so by now. "So we're stuck," he stated. "Just great. I really didn't want to live out the rest of my life as a lowly human. And I'm sure Hiro doesn't exactly want to repeat any of his previous years either." He plopped down onto one of the benches.

"We've been trying to come up with different ways we could help that process along," the bow-tied Doctor admitted. "They're all a bit risky and would still take some time. But, somehow, I don't think we have the kind of time we'd need."

The other Doctor began to pace, his fingers to his chin as he thought out loud. "There has to be something we can do to speed that process up. But what?! I can't see it!"

Q watched the man walk back and forth with greater agitation. "Maybe we're all trying too hard," he admitted. "Of course, if I had even the smallest access to my powers, this wouldn't be an issue. Admittedly, part of me still wonders if that boy really is capable of holding them all in. He does seem brighter than the others, and there's definitely something different about him, but is he really capable?"

The blue-clad Doctor paused in his pacing. "Hiro's got a lot more inner strength than perhaps even he understands. And who knows? Maybe the answer is locked up somewhere in his head? Anything's possible."

"Guess we'll just have to sit tight and wait," his counterpart commented. "We can't go pushing him too hard just yet. But we may have to soon. In the meantime, it's back to the drawing board for us." He glanced meaningfully at the other Doctor. "And back inside for you," he turned his gaze on Q. "Keep an eye on Hiro while we're gone, just to be safe. If you're close by, I'm sure nothing bad will happen."

Q didn't have time to ask what he meant by that as both Doctors quickly left the area, heading towards the front. He stood with a huff, straightened his attire, and headed back inside. They were right about one thing. Nothing too bad would likely happen if he stayed near the whelp.


	48. Last Chance

**Chapter Forty Eight: Last Chance  
**

News of Hiro's partial recovery spread quickly through the manor. Honey was the first to hear of it as she was still working with her chemicals in the next room. Deanna had looked in briefly and informed her. But by the time the chemist had come to see for herself, Hiro was soundly sleeping once more. Except this time he didn't just lie there like death warmed over. He'd curled around on one side, fingers stuck in his mouth as he sucked on them.

She couldn't help but look at him with a wistful fondness. Even with the feeding tube and IV, he still looked so small. Part of her wondered when Baymax would allow at least the feeding tube to be removed. She didn't miss the absence of the monitor leads. But she wisely chose not to mention anything. He would remove it when he deemed Hiro ready. She didn't stay long, though, choosing to go in search of the other members of her team to let them know as well.

The next to enter the little medical suite was Wasabi. "Hey, little man," he greeted softly. "Glad you're on the mend." He had to admit that their leader did look better than he had earlier. His complexion had returned to almost normal. And he looked a lot more peaceful as he slept. He, too, did not stay long.

When Picard was told, he opted not to visit the tyke, figuring there were more than enough people likely coming and going to get in the way. But he was pleased to hear about the partial recovery, though there still remained the question of how to return him completely back to normal. Since he wasn't a science officer, he could only hope the others would come up with something.

Worf also chose not to visit Hiro for similar reasons. He was not quite as attached to the boy as the counselor appeared to be, which was just as well. He had taken it upon himself to check the manor's defenses, just to be safe. He did not like being idle.

Fred and GoGo came up at the same time. For whatever reason, Fred had opted to bring the micro fleece blanket they'd bought for their friend only a few days back. Perhaps it was out of the hope that it would help speed things along, or simply because he felt his friend might need some added comfort. Either was possible.

GoGo, for her part, appeared to look impassively at her diminutive leader. She had no more idea on how to restore him to his usual self than anyone else seemed to have. Since the tyke remained asleep, she towed Fred away after ten odd minutes. He'd wake back up when he was ready, and not a moment sooner.

Data continued to observe their young charge, noting that he did seem to be improving. Even in sleep, his muscles continued to regain function. The most obvious factor in this was that the tot began tossing and turning in his sleep, something he had not been able to do earlier. That and he instinctively grabbed the micro fleece blanket and pulled it to his chest as tightly as his little hands were capable of doing.

"How much longer do you think he will sleep?" the android wondered. He had not often had the opportunity to observe a sleeping toddler and found it fascinating. "Do you suppose he dreams? I have often wondered what it would be like to dream."

Baymax tilted his head as if either confused or curious about Data's statement. "I believe Hiro may be dreaming," he finally answered. "Brain activity would suggest he is in REM sleep, as is common with most young children."

Data couldn't help but continue to stare. "Fascinating," he said. "I have always wondered what it would be like to see the world through the eyes of a child. Perhaps, someday, I may be able to do so."

As the android's statement did not seem to require an answer, Baymax didn't give any. Instead, he returned his attention to his young charge, keeping tabs in case something else happened.

* * *

By the time Q decided to rejoin his colleagues in the medical suite, the others had gone down to dinner. The afternoon was wearing into evening and Heathcliff had prepared another delicious meal. But since Q refused to leave the general area where Hiro still slept, the butler opted to bring him a plate of food instead. And none of the others in their party objected, mostly because Data was there to keep him out of trouble and Worf was more than ready to be done with the man.

"Just how long do you think he'll sleep," Q complained. But before the robot could answer his question, their attention was diverted by the telltale sound of the TARDIS materializing in the other room.

At that exact moment, Hiro opened his eyes and sat up. "Doctow?" he called out, almost as if he could sense the presence of the two Time Lords. "You thewe?"

Baymax immediately returned his attention to Hiro while Data went to investigate. "Shh," he urged the young boy. "It will be all right." He then produced the projection of the pain scale on his belly. "On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your pain?"

Hiro blinked at his robotic companion in confusion. "Pain? No pain," he objected. "Hungwy though. Give juice?"

The robot scanned the boy, just to be sure, realizing all of his usual functions had returned to normal parameters. "You appear to have recovered," he admitted. "Feeling hungry is a good sign. I will remove your feeding tube now."

Q pretended to gag as the robot first removed the tape stuck to Hiro's face, then carefully pulled the tube out from the boy's nasal passages. "That is absolutely repulsive!" he complained at the sight.

Hiro didn't seem too keen on the sensation either, resisting the urge to cough and gag as the tube slid past his trachea opening. But once the tube was removed, he sneezed heavily. "Tat gwoss, Max," he confessed as he looked around for something to wipe his nose with.

Baymax supplied some tissue for that purpose. "I apologize for any discomfort removing the tube may have caused," he said as he disposed of the article in question. "I will now remove your IV catheter." He proceeded to remove the gauze from Hiro's arm while the boy was distracted, and then gently slid the medical device out from under Hiro's skin. He applied a bandage once the small tube was removed. Thankfully, only a small amount of blood presented, though a bruise had formed under the skin.

"Would you look at that!" the blue-clad Doctor exclaimed as he entered the room, his companion and Mr. Data right behind him. "Looks like you're getting back on your feet, young man. It's about time." He gave Hiro a teasing smile. "We've been throwing around a few theories on how to return you completely back to normal," he added when Hiro just stared at him.

Hiro reached for the Doctor. "I figuwed it out," he announced. "How make me big," he tried to clarify. "I dweamed bout it."

The other Doctor moved forward. "Oh, you did, did you?" he inquired. "Because I think we may have figured it out as well."

Data blinked in confusion. "Am I correct in believing you both have come up with a way to return Hiro to his normal form?"

The tot nodded. "Tawdis," he said knowingly. "Tawdis can do it."

Both Doctors also nodded as one. "Exactly," the bow-tied Doctor confirmed. "The idea came to the both of us just now. What if we were able to expose Hiro to the energy that powers the TARDIS. We've seen it work before, albeit in reverse." Thoughts of the Sletheen who'd tried to destroy the Earth to get home filled his mind, and how the TARDIS and reverted the alien to an egg form after she'd looked into its Heart. "If it can work in reverse, surely it can restore Hiro to his normal age."

Baymax moved to stand between the two Doctors and Hiro. "I do not understand," he confessed. "Are you suggesting we expose Hiro to high concentrations of energy to return him to his normal state? If so, I cannot recommend this procedure until I understand the potential complications this might impose."

Data found he tended to agree. "Hiro has already been subjected to a great amount of energy. Do you really think it wise to subject him to more, even if of a different variety? I thought you said that, in his current form, it would not be wise."

Q, for his part, opted to stand back and let them dither. They all made valid points. If Hiro's current body wasn't able to handle his power long enough to return it to its rightful owner, what made them think subjecting him to more energy, even if somewhat different, would fix the problem?

"It's not without its risks," the blue-clad Doctor confessed. "I've only seen the Heart of the TARDIS interact with a handful of people, each with different results. For one, it merely granted the desires of a wayward soul's heart. With Rose Tyler, it transferred energy to her from the Void, which almost killed her. In the end, it's up to the TARDIS to decide what it will do, if she'll cooperate."

Hearing that, Data frowned. "Given this additional information, my vote must be no. I do not believe the risks outweigh the potential outcome. I do not believe it would be fair or wise to subject Hiro to the potential of burning up due to an overload of energy."

Baymax had to consider the information as well. While he did not have the same knowledge of potential implications some of the others did, he also did not like the idea of subjecting his number one patient and friend to even more potential pain. "I do not like this solution," he admitted.

Q took that moment to move forward. "Like it or not, we don't' seem to have many other options, now do we? We could, of course, wait twelve or so years for Hiro to grow up again, but I don't think we have that kind of time. The universe will scatter my powers all over again. And who's to say it won't try and converge on him anyway? We all know he can't handle that in his current state. It's this or nothing." He glanced towards Hiro. "And I honestly think the only one who can rightly decide is you." He pointed to the boy.

Hiro felt as though all eyes were suddenly focused on him, as they were. It wasn't the most comfortable of feelings, especially since I didn't like being in the lime light. He looked from face to face, trying to read each one. Baymax had no expression, mostly because he wasn't' capable of showing any real emotions. Data's face remained impassive. The two Doctors seemed pensive, perhaps slightly unsure, but seemed more than willing to leave the decision up to him.

"Whatever you decide," the blue-clad Doctor spoke up, "I suggest doing it soon. If you want to try the TARDIS method, I think it would be wise to do it before the others return. I'm sure they won't agree with it and will find a way to stop it from happening. So, what will it be?"

Hiro's heart thudded in his chest. He hadn't expected for the decision to be quite so hard. In his mind, it had already been made. But his heart was having a little trouble with it. What if things went wrong? What if he ended up dying? Well, he'd end up dying eventually. The main thing was that he was afraid. He knew that once he returned to his normal age, he'd have to take on that final fragment and he definitely wasn't looking forward to it. The pain had been ten times worse than any of the others. But, if he didn't, part of him knew the universe would remain broken. And, over time, the fissures he'd worked so hard to fix would break open once more. If that happened, the whole thing would shatter and it wouldn't matter if he was still alive or not.

He licked his lips, which felt suddenly much drier than they had earlier. He wouldn't mind a cup of juice, or even water. Despite having the feeding tube removed, there hadn't been time to get him something just yet. But, then again, if he did go through with this, he knew having something in his stomach would not be a good idea. Save the universe and potentially lose his life, or stay as he was. Either way, things wouldn't be the same. Aunt Cass would still freak out if he stayed a toddler, even after she'd learned the truth. Chances were good she'd be over-protective of him after that, if she was allowed to keep him. Once the science community found out, he'd likely be taken away and have all kinds of tests and so forth forced on him. There was no way he wanted to live with that, forced into a life no one should have to live, away from friends and family as a human guinea pig.

Everyone continued to look at him expectantly. This was his decision. And, if he was being honest, it was probably going to be the biggest decision of his entire life. At least as far as he could see. But the Doctor was right. He didn't have time to second guess himself. He knew the others wouldn't allow him to go through with it, even if the logic made sense. Sometimes one had to overcome their fear by going through it. "I do it," he announced, though his voice sounded a bit husky from his dry throat. "I do it," he said again, louder this time.

"Are you certain?" Baymax inquired, noting the change in Hiro's vitals. He knew it was not his place to stop him. He would support whatever the final decision was, but he wanted to make sure it was made for the right reason and with all the options evaluated fairly.

Not sure of his voice anymore, Hiro nodded. He scrunched up the blanket between his fingers, looking more than a little scared. But if he could return to his normal state, return Q's powers to him, and fix the universe, it would all be worth it. It would be worth it even if he didn't survive, though he really hoped he would. "If I no make back, you tew evers why?" he inquired in a small voice as he looked into Baymax's hyper-spectral cameras.

Baymax bent to lean his head gently against Hiro's forehead, which was easier to do with the young boy on the examination table than it would have been otherwise. "Yes," he agreed. "I will inform them. However, I request that I be allowed to observe the procedure," he added as he looked up at the two Doctors.

"Of course," the bow-tied Doctor replied while his companion blinked a few times. If he didn't know any better, he felt tempted to suspect his companion of mentally preparing himself for the possibility that Hiro didn't make it out of this alive.

Hiro nodded at the room in general before reaching up for Baymax to pick him up. "Wet's go, Max," he urged as the healthcare bot picked him up. He wanted to get this done and over with. Enough time had passed that some of his friends might be finishing their meal. He'd noticed the untouched dinner plate Heathcliff had brought Q sitting on the counter. He didn't want to give them the chance of interfering.

"I'm coming with you," Q informed as he moved to join the small party. "After all, I'm heavily invested in the outcome."

The two Doctors exchanged glances before nodding in unison. "Very well," the blue-clad one confirmed. "Data might as well come too. And bring that tricorder thing of yours. It won't hurt to have more than one means of recording what's about to happen. Even if no one else will potentially remember it."

Having been invited to come along, Data followed them all into the main command center where one of the TARDISes now stood. He wasn't sure which Doctor this one belonged to and was only mildly surprised at the actual interior dimensions when he entered the box behind the others. "The interior dimensions of this vessel appear to exceed the exterior," he commented in fascination, realizing it wasn't a special effect caused by something like holograms. The central column stabbed through the raised main floor, with a set of stairs leading down to the one below.

The two Doctors made no comment on that observation. Baymax had made a similar one when he'd first entered the TARDIS all those months before. This particular TARDIS, however, was not the same one from that time, but belonged to the newer incarnation. "Follow me," the bow-tied Doctor instructed as he led them to the area beneath the main console via the stairs. "Watch your step."

After following him for a bit longer, they came out into a chamber from whence the central column seemed to emerge. "Welcome to the Heart of the TARDIS," the younger man said as he spread his hands out to encompass the room. "Now, what I'm about to do is something I've never done before so please stand back."

The others took his advice as he moved towards a small control panel and fiddled with the controls. A bright flash of light filled the room, momentarily blinding everyone. When they opened their eyes again, the column of energy near the middle had changed. The column was no longer shielded by any restraining material, the energy flowing freely, as if electricity between two closely held wires, or energy from a Tesla coil between two points. It was raw and untamed, with filaments occasionally reaching out a little, though never going too far from the central core.

"Last chance," the one Doctor said as he stepped away from the control panel. "I only ask to make sure you know what you're getting yourself into." He looked directly at Hiro.

Hiro felt slightly irritated by this. He'd said he'd do it and he was going to do it. They should stop asking him already. The more they asked, the less sure he'd become, allowing fear to overwhelm him even more than it already was. "I suwe," he answered. "Down, Max!"

The healthcare bot carefully put Hiro down. "It is possible your limbs have not yet regained sufficient strength to walk," he warned. "Perhaps I should carry you into the energy stream."

"I wouldn't advise it," the other Doctor countered. "This is something Hiro has to do on his own." He didn't feel to mention that it might tear the healthcare bot apart should he attempt it. The TARDIS might not know what to think of the vinyl creation and simply discard it.

Baymax considered that for a moment, realizing the implications he wasn't mentioning. "I see your point," he finally admitted. "I will monitor Hiro from here."

Hiro moved to give Baymax a hug around one leg. With the robot standing upright, he couldn't reach any higher. "Wuv you," he said to the robot. He then proceeded to try and walk towards the open stream on unsteady legs. When his knees threatened to give out after only a few steps, he resolved himself to crawling the rest of the way.

"I really suggest everyone hold on tight," the bow-tied Doctor said as Hiro reached the edge of the stream. "One never knows what might happen with something like this."

Hiro turned to look over his shoulder one last time before entering the stream.

* * *

Deanna's back stiffened as a wave of intense emotion filled her. She couldn't help but call out in pain as it threatened to overwhelm her.

"What is it?" Picard asked, vacating his chair to stand by her. "What's wrong?"

Tears leaked out of the corner of Troi's eyes as the intensity continued to wash over her. "Pain!" she managed to say through clenched teeth. "Immeasurable pain and fear." With an effort, she closed off the connection, though the effects still lingers. "I fear something awful has happened to Hiro."

Hearing those words, Fred, GoGo, Honey, and Wasabi all but jumped out of their chairs and ran out of the room, heading to the medical room. "Please be okay," Honey breathed as they raced down the hallway and up the stairs. She feared the worst, knowing that if that machine the Doctor had created somehow malfunctioned, Hiro would be bombarded with energy, which would probably kill him.

But when they entered the medical room, it was empty. Fearing they knew not what, they burst into the command room, only to see the TARDIS standing there like a glowing sentinel. Power radiated from the surface like a heat wave. "Please don't tell me the others are inside!" Wasabi protested.

GoGo went to try and open the door but was thrown back by the energy lacing the outside of the cosmic box before she could even reach the door. She slammed into the wall with enough force to make her dizzy.

Fred ran to her side. "GoGo!" he called out to her frantically. "Talk to me," he demanded as she groaned in his arms.

A column of light shot out from the top of the TARDIS, filling the room with an even more intense blue-green glow. "That does not look good," GoGo managed as she blinked her eyes open. She didn't volunteer to move, though, as her head filled with pain.

"Just hold still," Fred instructed. "We'll find Baymax and figure this out."

Honey stared at the box. "Somehow I think Baymax might be in there," she pointed. It was more of a gut feeling than anything, but if Hiro was in there, chances were good the healthcare bot was as well.

The Enterprise crew joined them shortly after that, each staring in horrified awe at the sight of the TARDIS looking very much like it was caught up in the middle of some cosmic storm. "What is the meaning of this?" Picard demanded.

No one knew how to answer him so they all just stared at the TARDIS. A high pitched whine filled the room so unlike the usual sound the flying box made that they had to cover their ears. Then, in another bright burst of light, the TARDIS disappeared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it's almost over! No! One more chapter and this particular arc is over. Aka, the story. But don't worry, I will write another one...... If Hiro survives.... Dun! Dun! Dun!


	49. Goodbye

The moment Hiro entered the time stream, he felt like he'd been hit with a billion jolts of electricity. Every atom in his body felt like it was being torn apart. The pain was excruciating, unlike any he'd felt before, even with the memory reintegration. And yet, he knew the worst was yet to come. Somehow, he had to pull himself back together, at least enough to reattach that last strand of memory.

Everything exploded into an array of bright colors as he tried to focus on pulling his body back into some semblance of itself, though he couldn't be sure he'd done it correctly. It felt like his body had come together like a nightmare jigsaw puzzle put together by a mad scientist trying to recreate Frankenstein's monster. But at least his mind was intact. That's what mattered, at least for the moment.

"That's it," a voice encouraged in his thoughts. "You've got this."

"T-tadashi!" Hiro exclaimed, realizing his brother's spectral image had not left him. At least there was that. He wasn't sure about anything else, let alone if he still existed.

"Reach out for that last strand!" Tadashi instructed as everything seemed to slip and slide like some psychedelic dream jigging out to the fastest pace song on the planet. Everything vibrated like crazy, making it all that much harder to concentrate. "It's right here!"

Hiro looked in the direction of his brother's voice and saw the tendril in question. It somehow looked different, thicker, longer, like clotted blood or poured tar. Part of him held back, not wanting anything to do with it. But another part of him knew he had to or everything would be for naught. He reached out one hand, not sure if it was his normal size or still toddler in form, if it had any form at all. He grasped the fragment as tightly as he could, clutching it to himself as if it was an anchor.

The moment his fingers made contact, he knew he was dying. Every particle of his body felt like it was on fire. The flames were so hot he would melt and then vaporize into the atmosphere. And the pain was ten thousand times worse than when he'd entered the stream. He would fly apart from the sheer force of it.

"Hang on!" Tadashi called out urgently. "Don't let go!"

Hiro couldn't have let go even if he'd wanted to. He no longer had hands to let go with. Every part of him had changed into particles of light, streaming out to all parts of the universe. Despite that, he couldn't help but scream with such intensity he didn't know how it was possible that every living thing in the known universe didn't hear him.

_We are the Makt. As requested, we give you the chance to change your past. But be warned, should you do so, consequences may arise for which you are ill equipped to bear._

Where had that multi-harmonious voice come from? He couldn't remember having had any such encounter with the alien entity.

" _I don't care,"_ he heard himself say. " _Let me try. It can't end like this. Not like this."_

_Very well._

The world turned upside down and inside out. He felt as though he was being propelled through the cosmos at record speeds, his consciousness tracing along every hairline fracture he'd created by going back in time over and over again. His consciousness was split into so many parts he couldn't keep track of them all. But each one sped along the cracks, heading to one central point.

And sitting at that central point floated a familiar form with gangly legs, messy hair, and soft brown eyes. But he was going too fast. He would collide with it, shattering his own body beyond repair. Mentally, he braced himself as various parts of him reconnected down the fissures as they came together. Still too fast! Too fast!

All of the different fragments of his mind collided as one and the known universe seemed to explode with it. Light and energy flew out like an exploding star reaching critical mass. Snippets of images, reminding Hiro of the ice caves he'd traversed before Tadashi had brought him back to his own mind, flashed through his head. And then, almost as if someone had stopped a tape and was rewinding, everything started going in reverse even faster than before.

"No! No! No!" Hiro cried out in his mind as the various fragments headed back to the central point. But instead of colliding and shattering all over again, things slowed down as the various pieces fit back together, as though shattered glass was somehow being repaired by reversing time. Except it wasn't shattered glass, it was his body, his teenage body.

And then the oddest sensation filled him as the last piece flew back into place. Light swarmed into his body through his chest and head, filling his shell to capacity. His heart thudded pointedly in his chest as the energy threatened to overflow, but it didn't. Instead, his body somehow managed to contain the energy, even though even more energy surrounded him, different from what he held inside.

Hiro couldn't help but feel a sort of giddy elation as the energy swirled around inside him. It felt familiar and warm, like an old friend. And yet he knew it wasn't his, that he couldn't keep it. Not yet.

"Hiro," Tadashi's voice called out again. "Let's go!"

He looked and saw his brother's form swimming in the energy swirling outside of him. He moved to follow, pausing only long enough to look back and see that all of the cracks, fissures, and holes were gone. Not even the slightest trace of them remained. He'd done it.

"Come on!" Tadashi urged, realizing his brother had stopped to look around. "We have to hurry!"

Not needing any further urging, Hiro turned back to the task at hand, following his brother against the stream of power that wanted to take him further and further away from his brother. He moved his arms in sure strokes, slowly making headway against the current. He was gaining, almost there! Almost there!

Hiro reached out for his brother as Tadashi reached out arms to take him in. And with that, another flash of light filled the air, throwing him back as though from a second massive explosion.

* * *

When the first bout of light filled the TARDIS, everyone had been thrown back, all except for Baymax, who had properly braced himself. He continued to stare at the stream of energy, not able to sense his number one patient, but hoping that was only a short term problem.

From above, the central column began to pulse as the energy radiated out from the stream, lighting everything with an eerie aquamarine color.

"She's taking off!" one of the Doctors warned, though no one seemed sure which one had spoken. But the announcement was unmistakable as the feeling of movement filled everyone.

The TARDIS was spinning like a top, shaking a bit from side to side as the energy threatened to overwhelm everything inside.

"Hang on!" the other Doctor called out as he reached for one of the controls on the panel closest to him. But he didn't quite reach the controls before another bright flash of light filled the room, throwing something out of the stream. And, with that done, the TARDIS seemed to lose all control.

Q stood directly in line with whatever had just been expelled from the time stream and it slammed into him with enough force to send him to the ground. Pain shot through him, along with images that swept by so fast, he almost had a hard time keeping up with them. It only took him a moment to realize that the object that had hit him was Hiro. Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around the boy and held on for dear life. If what he was feeling came from the teen, he couldn't help but feel a new sense of respect for him. But the pain threatened to overwhelm him at the same time, though there was no way he was going to let go, even though the pain made his lips part as the loudest sound he'd ever made came out.

"Hiro!" Baymax called out, his sensors registering the Big Hero leader. He made as though to join the boy but was thrown to the ground by a particularly violent lurch.

The blue-clad Doctor grabbed onto the nearest possible surface as the TARDIS tilted to one side, throwing those who hadn't anchored themselves to the other side. "We need to contain the time stream!" he called out to his companion, who had managed to hold onto the console near him. "Stabilize the energy field!"

At that moment, Hiro pushed away from Q, using a strength surpassing his usual abilities. And, despite the tilt of the ground, he stood upright without any difficulty. His eyes seemed to glow as he looked around at the chaos. He reached out one hand and energy arced from his fingers to the column of energy that comprised the time stream. Then he reached out his other hand as if to point at Q. Energy streamed from that hand towards the alien as well, connecting the three entities.

Q couldn't help but let out a scream from the intensity of the energy filling him. It was beyond what even his own abilities allowed. With an effort, he crawled to Hiro's side and grabbed onto his hand. "Too much!" he managed to call out as he tried to return some of the energy to the boy before it obliterated him.

The stream of energy from Hiro's hand leading to the central column intensified with Q's contact. Except that this time it seemed as though the energy was not just flowing through him, but out of him. As one, Q and Hiro raised their faces towards the ceiling and screamed as the energy ran its course. And, as the last vestiges of the excess power left Hiro's body, both crumpled to the ground.

At that same moment, the bow-tied Doctor managed to reengage the protective field around the time stream. The TARDIS responded in kind, straightening out, though it still seemed to spin like a top out of control.

"Hiro!" Baymax called out in alarm as he moved as quickly as possible to the boy's side. He performed a quick scan of both individuals, seeming to release a sigh of relief when both began to show signs of waking. Both of their vital signs were decidedly higher than the norm but were slowly returning to a more normal state.

Data moved to take over watching Q as Baymax focused his attention on Hiro. Meanwhile, the two Doctors continued to try and get the TARDIS back under control. And, after several minutes of fiddling with various controls, they succeeded.

Q woke like someone had jolted him with electricity, going immediately to a sitting position. "That was the most uncomfortable sensation I have ever felt in my entire life," he stated as he shook his head to make sure everything was intact. With Data's help, he returned to his feet, straightening his clothes. Despite that, his body still spasmed and he had to hold on until it stopped.

Only moments later, Hiro also began to show signs of regaining consciousness. His head pounded painfully as he lay against Baymax's body. He couldn't help but put one hand to his head. "Could someone please get me some painkillers?" he asked. It took him a moment to realize he'd spoken with his normal voice. But once he did, he almost frantically examined himself, realizing he'd returned to his normal teenage state. "I'm me again!" he said as he hugged himself. He only winced slightly from the headache, though it hadn't lessened in intensity.

Q smiled almost cockily, his footing now solid. He could feel the power of the Continuum flowing through him and it was a good feeling. He puffed out his chest and snapped his fingers. A bright flash of light filled the room, blinding everyone inside except Baymax and Data.

* * *

It took a few minutes for everyone in the command room to recover from the sudden intense light. But when they did, the room remained just as empty as it usually was, with no TARDIS.

"Would someone please tell me what's going on?" Picard demanded as he looked around. The recent events reminded him too much of Q's mischief, which might not be unwelcome if it weren't so alarming in nature.

But before anyone could venture a guess, another bright flash of light filled the room. When everyone could see again, they were no longer in the command center but outside in the back courtyard. And sitting right in the middle of the grass was the TARDIS.

"Hiro!" Honey breathed as the door opened and their leader exited the blue box, albeit with Baymax supporting him from one side. She made to run towards him but stopped as the two exited the TARDIS and headed towards them. "You're back! You're back to normal!"

The teen genius gave a little wave as he stumbled over a crack in the sidewalk. He felt completely drained, almost like he had every time the Makt had paid him a visit. It would likely only be a matter of minutes before Baymax informed him of the need to acquire some form of sustenance. But until that happened, he was going to pretend everything was okay.

Baymax helped his charge to the nearest bench, where the youth sat down. "Do not be alarmed," the robot announced. "I believe we have rectified the problem."

Not giving the others a chance to even question what was going on; Q exited the TARDIS, looking as smug and dapper as usual in a Star Fleet ambassadorial uniform. "Mon capitaine!" he oozed as he walked up to Picard. "It looks like I'll finally be able to return you to your proper time and place!"

Data was the next to exit the TARDIS, followed by the two Doctors. "It would seem that our mission was successful," he informed when Picard gave him a questioning look. "We should now be able to return to the Enterprise."

Deanna looked at a loss for words as she stared around her. And, from what she could sense, the others also seemed to be in a bit of a state of shock. But she quickly pulled herself together. "Captain," she spoke up, "I believe Data is right. I sense Q has returned to his usual state. And while this may cause some interesting repercussions," she glanced briefly at the Heroes, "I think it's high time we returned home before something else happens."

"Yes," Q spoke up. "Please do. Before this universe tries to equal things out again." He turned to glance at the Heroes, who still hadn't moved to converge on their friend. Part of him would miss them. He'd be lying if he said otherwise. And since they didn't exist in his universe, chances were good he'd never see them again.

He strode towards Hiro, condescending to go down on one knee in front of the sitting youth. "I want to thank you," he said in an almost ironic tone. "Without your help, I would be stuck as a lowly human for the rest of my life. Perhaps, someday, I will come back and collect you. The Continuum wouldn't feel complete without your presence. Not after tonight."

Hiro wasn't sure what to make of that statement and so stuttered out a brief expression of appreciation as well. He still had a raging headache and just wanted somewhere cool to lie down. "I won't forget you," he added, sensing it was time for them to say goodbye. At least he hoped he wouldn't. Not after everything that had happened.

Worf approached GoGo and Fred, looking more than a little uncomfortable. "I would be honored to fight alongside you in the future," he told both heroes before giving them a slight bow. He then went to give his goodbyes to Wasabi and Honey, though with less words. And, finally, he came over to Hiro and Baymax. "Thank you," he simply said before moving to stand by Data's side, looking more than a little uncomfortable with all the emotions going around.

Deanna moved to give both GoGo and Honey Lemon hugs, at least as best as she could with one broken arm, admonishing them to take care of each other and look out for Hiro. She gave GoGo an added thought of keeping Fred close by, with a little nudge, nudge, wink, wink to show she understood the two were fast becoming a couple. She then gave her goodbyes to Wasabi before stopping to give Hiro a long hug. "For the briefest of moments," she whispered in his ear, "it was like I had my son back again." She gave him one more squeeze before requesting Baymax keep doing what he did best, making sure all of the Big Heroes stayed well.

Data moved to say his goodbyes as well, though without the hugging. "Thank you for sharing your culture with me," he said to them all. "I will try to retain it and use it as an example for future contemplation. Perhaps it will serve me in good stead in the days to come."

Picard was the last to approach any of them. By that time, the Heroes had gathered around their leader. The space captain shuffled his feet a bit. 'I don't do well with goodbyes," he admitted. "But I would be honored, if we were ever able to meet again, to serve alongside each one of you once more." He turned to Hiro specifically. "You have a fine crew. Don't let them down."

Hiro struggled to his feet, trying to stand at attention. "I won't," he promised as he affected a salute, not sure if it was appropriate or not. It somehow felt right though so he went with it.

The bow-tied Doctor pulled Q to one side for the briefest of moments. "You know they can't be allowed to remember any of this," he said, looking pointedly at the Enterprise crew." With perhaps the exception of Data. It would alter your universe too much. Make sure you take care of all the details."

Q nodded in understanding. "Don't worry about a thing," he assured. "I'll make sure they stay on the right path." That said, he rejoined the Enterprise crew. "Everyone ready?" he inquired. He didn't wait for them to answer before snapping his fingers, giving one last snarky smile before they all disappeared.

The Big Heroes shielded their eyes as bright light filled their visions. When they could see again, their unusual visitors were gone. Only the two Doctors remained.

"Yes, well," the blue-clad Doctor said as he strode forward, hands in his pockets. "It's probably about time we were off as well." He glanced meaningfully towards his companion.

The other Doctor nodded. "Right, Amy will be waiting for me." He snapped his fingers and the TARDIS doors opened. "Lots to do," he smiled a bit sadly. "I don't know if I'll remember these events or not," he confessed. "It's always tricky when a Time Lord encounters his other incarnations. But, who knows? Maybe I'll be the one to remember while my companion forgets."

This announcement seemed to cause some confusion among the Heroes as they looked among themselves. The man's statement made little sense to them, though none of them wanted to forget this rather odd adventure. Except for maybe Hiro, though he chose not to say anything.

The younger Doctor strode towards his TARDIS, pausing long enough to wave to those still outside before closing the door. No more than a minute later, the light on top came to life as the tell-tale sound of the vessel activating sounded. Within a few more seconds, the ship was gone.

"And now it's my turn," the other Doctor announced. They'd retrieved his TARDIS earlier in the day, though it sat inside the garage. "Well, off we go, unless you'd rather not say goodbye." He seemed to sniffle just a little at that last thought.

Realizing what the Doctor meant, Honey Lemon, Wasabi, GoGo, and Fred immediately jumped to follow behind the Time Lord as he headed towards the garage. Hiro had to lean against Baymax and so followed behind more slowly. "I could really use a lollipop about now," Hiro mused and was only mildly surprised when Baymax supplied one for him. It helped, at least a little. Though he'd want a full out meal when they went back inside. And a really long nap.

Reaching the garage, the Heroes stood back to give the Time Lord some room. Tears pricked at Honey Lemon's eyes as she gave the man a hug. "When will we see you again?" she asked.

"Oh, I don't know," the Doctor answered. "Anything's possible. Maybe not in this form, but I'm sure you'll see me again sometime in your future. Maybe as the other incarnation you saw this go around." He continued on down the line, giving each Hero a persona goodbye. "Baymax, make sure you take good care of them," he said, reiterating what Q had said. "I'll be checking in from time to time."

Baymax watched as the Time Lord unlocked his TARDIS with a key and stepped inside. He gave one last wave before closing the door. A few seconds later, the same light as the previous TARDIS filled the room before the blue box disappeared.

Wasabi let out a sigh as they all stared at the empty space left behind. "Well," he commented, "at least everything's back to normal."

"At least as normal as things get for us," Honey Lemon spoke up with a smile as she wiped at the corner of her eyes.

Fred couldn't help but smile as he recognized the pajamas Hiro was wearing. His friend probably hadn't noticed, or taken time to care at the moment, but he couldn't help but find the humor in it. Hiro had on the same robot-print pajamas they'd bought him when he was a toddler, although the clothes had somehow grown to fit their now teenage leader. Part of him wondered if Hiro would also keep the micro fleece blanket. He knew he would if it were him. But instead of commenting on it, he leaned over and put an arm around GoGo's shoulders. "Well, I guess that's that."

Hiro couldn't help but shake his head at Wasabi's and Honey's comments. Normal was not the word he'd choose to describe things. But perhaps the chemist was right. This was about as normal as things got for them all. "I don't know about you," he spoke up, "but I could really use a cup of juice about now."

Honey couldn't help but smile at that as she moved to help their leader back into the house. It was good to have him back to his usual self, even if there were a few changes. And if Hiro showed a greater preference for juice, then that was fine by her. It was the least they could ask for after everything they'd been through. And, giving time, she felt certain he'd tell them all about everything that had happened on his end. They all just needed some time.

* * *

Picard stepped through the doors leading into the transporter room on the star ship Enterprise. He had everything he needed ready to go and waiting just off the transporter pad. And, despite the supposed vacation, he'd opted to wear his Star Fleet uniform. Call it nostalgia or something else, but it felt right to begin this off on an official foot.

Deanna, Data, and Worf met him inside the room, ready to transport down to the surface. They all looked pleased that their captain was finally taking off some time to do what he loved, exploring ancient artifacts. Even if he still chose to wear the uniform. They all knew that wouldn't last long once they were down there. "This should be good for you," Deanna commented as they moved to stand on the transporter pad. "You deserve a bit of time away from your official duties."

Worf moved to the transporter pad, Data and the others following. "We should still remain on guard for anything that might disrupt this time," he reminded.

"Worf!" Deanna protested, though she moved to face forward at the sound of Picard clearing his throat. "Ready when you are, captain," she said instead of whatever else was on her mind.

But before Picard could call out "energize", a bright flash of light filled the room as Q appeared. "Ah! Mon capitaine!" the alien called as he moved to place a hand around the captain's shoulders.

"Q," Picard protested, "What are you doing here? I was about to go on vacation!"

The alien turned to look at the others in their party. Each was whole and healthy, as though nothing had happened, exactly as he'd intended. Worf had even gone so far as to draw his phaser. "I figured as much," he admitted. "But wouldn't you rather go somewhere more exciting? I can offer you a better selection than old Davish Six. After all, it's scheduled for destruction fairly soon. I wouldn't want you to get caught up in that."

Picard looked rather skeptical at that announcement. "We didn't detect anything that would suggest such," he countered.

Worf was about to move to restrain the man, his phaser still at the ready when a look from Data stopped him. "Let us see what Q has to say first," the android requested.

Q smiled knowingly at Data. "That's right. Why not take me up on my offer? In fact, I think I'll just take you there myself!"

Chief O'Brian, not sure what was going, activated his communicator, requesting security to the transporter room, something he'd refrained from doing earlier, hoping the others had things under control.

"What do you mean?" Picard protested. "You wouldn't dare!"

Deanna looked somehow bemused by all of this, though not even she could explain why. She sensed Q wasn't out to cause trouble and the idea intrigued her. "Perhaps we should take him up on his offer," she observed.

Picard spluttered as the room's doors slide open, several security officers standing on the other side, phasers in hand. "I don't see… what on earth?"

But Q just smiled. "I promise, Picard, you won't regret it." With that, another flash of light filled the room, leaving the startled security officers and transporter chief behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you have enjoyed this journey with me. It's the longest work of fiction I've written to date and it was a real trip. Here's hoping the next one will be just as fun as this one. And yes, there will be another one.


End file.
